The Army Boxing Thread [Archive] - The Diamond David Lee Roth Army

binnie

06-07-2007, 07:04 AM

From sportinglife.com

COTTO HAS MADISON STAR QUALITY
E-mail Article Print-Friendly Subscribe to RSS Feed
Post to del.icio.us

By Mark Staniforth, PA Sport

Steeped in boxing history stretching back more than a century and encompassing the eras of Muhammad Ali, Rocky Marciano and Jack Dempsey, it has always taken a special kind of fighter to sell out Madison Square Garden.

Among today's generation of largely anonymous champions boasting claims to world titles which are often tenuous at best, those sorts of top of the bill attractions can be counted on the fingers of one hand.

One of them is Miguel Cotto, the hard-punching, 26-year-old Puerto Rican who will defend his WBA welterweight title this Saturday in an eagerly-awaited pay-per-view match-up against former champion Zab Judah.

Judah may be a brash and popular figure from just the other side of the Brooklyn Bridge, but there is little disputing Cotto is the attraction, to the point where the Garden's mezzanine level will be opened for the first time for a fight since 2001.

Promoter Bob Arum and Garden officials took the decision after the initial 16,000 available tickets threatened to sell out quickly.

"Miguel Cotto has developed a tremendous following because he is a no-nonsense fighter," said Arum.

"For those who have been around as long as I have, Madison Square Garden is the capital of boxing. The legendary fights that have been fought here and in its predecessor, are embedded in the history of our country and of sports."

Undefeated in 29 professional fights, Cotto is increasingly emerging as a worthy successor to the headliners who have gone before, and has underlined his status as a phenomenal 147lbs fighter despite initial fears about his size.

Having made six successful defences of his WBO light-welterweight title, Cotto moved up to dispatch the previous undefeated Carlos Quintana after five rounds of relentlessly accurate boxing in December.

In March, he dispatched the tough Turk, Oktay Urkal, via 11th round stoppage in front of a sold-out arena in San Juan.

Cotto is big news back home where the fans covet another in a proud line of Puerto Rican boxing legends.

"I've always dreamed of being one of the greatest champions from Puerto Rico, like Wilfred Benitez and Felix Trinidad" says Cotto, who has improved his English enough to conduct interviews without a translator.

"I am on my way."

Cotto faces his most difficult challenge in the fast-footed, sharp-punching Judah, a former undisputed champion who has the added incentive of needing a win to maintain his marketability.

Judah has failed to win any of his last three fights, although points defeats to Floyd Mayweather and Carlos Baldomir are hardly career-threatening, nor a one-round no-contest against journeyman Ruben Galvan due to cuts.

But Judah does still need to prove he can wrap a major belt back around his waist, and he could hardly impress more than if he dethroned Cotto.

"Cotto has never faced anyone with my fast hands or my pretty face," Judah warned.

Cotto, however, has come through enough significant tests to know what it takes. He was badly rocked on his way to beating DeMarcus Corley, and had to climb off the floor to stop Ricardo Torres.

Yet Cotto's struggles to make the 140lbs limit were well documented. He had little option to move up, raising fears for his chin and, standing at 5ft 7ins, his overall effectiveness against naturally bigger opponents.

But unlike prospective rival Ricky Hatton, who returned to 140lbs after an ill-advised scrape home against slippery Luis Collazo at welterweight, Cotto has flourished with his new freedom on the scales.

Cotto has been hard at work in his homeland preparing to do justice to another night in the spotlight.

"I have had the best training camp I have ever had in my life and I am going to destroy Zab Judah," Cotto said.

"Judah talks too much. He may be a great fighter but he is not the best fighter and I will teach him that difference when we meet in the ring. I promise I will be more focused and show all my power."I feel really good and I hope Zab did the same things in his camp to make it a real show with real fighters. That is the only thing the fans want to see. And that is what Miguel Cotto is going to bring to the world."

:: British fans can watch Cotto versus Judah on Setanta Sports for £15 (Sky) or £10.99 (Freeview). The price represents a one month subscription charge, covering Ricky Hatton's fight on June 23, plus two additional months for free.

:: Sultan Ibragimov did not look like a man who had just claimed a portion of the so-called richest prize in sport when his arm was raised in victory over Shannon Briggs in Atlantic City.

Ibragimov had just outpointed Briggs to wrest his WBO title in one of the worst heavyweight fights, even in these fractured times. But the glum-faced Russian is unlikely to bring much charisma to his reign.

"I'm happy that I won, but I am not happy that I didn't knock him out," huffed Ibragimov. Asked about future plans, he exclusively revealed: "I just want to go to sleep and wake up as world heavyweight champion."

:: Peter Manfredo is wasting no time attempting to get his career back on track following his comprehensive third round defeat to WBO super-middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe in April.

Having already rebounded with a ninth round win over Ted Muller the following month, Manfredo is now preparing to face David Banks at the Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut on June 20.

Manfredo said: "These are the steps I have to take to become a world champion. When you don't get a chance to fight, or lose, you have to start all over again to get back there. It's not like the Red Sox losing a game then playing the next night."

binnie

06-07-2007, 07:06 AM

From Southoasttoday.com

COTTO GETS NOD
It hasn't got the publicity of the Mayweather-De La Hoya fight, but the Cotto-Zab Judah showdown Saturday night on HBO PPV could be a better fight.

Cotto and Judah are two of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the sport, and unlike the Mayweather-De La Hoya bout, both fighters are in their prime. (Though Judah is coming off a year suspension for his part in the brawl that erupted during his loss to Mayweather.)

In raw speed and talent, Judah is probably second to none despite four losses, two of which were to future Hall-of-Famers Kostya Tszyu and Mayweather. Give Judah the edge in hand speed, but Cotto is the tougher fighter mentally, which could be the difference.

Judah hasn't responded well to pressure (as evidenced in his loss to Carlos Baldomir), and Cotto, one of the best body punchers in the business, will apply relentless pressure. But Cotto has been hurt before by lighter hitting fighters, so give Judah a puncher's chance.

But a knockout by Judah will have to come early. The longer the fight goes, the stronger Cotto will get. Look for a late TKO win for Cotto.

binnie

06-07-2007, 07:07 AM

From Blackathlete.net

NEW YORK -- Zab Judah's back is against the wall. He hasn't won a fight in more than two years. Judah is coming off perhaps the worst year of his professional career. Judah could hit the top of the food chain and send shockwaves throughout the boxing community if he defeats unbeaten two-division world champion Miguel Cotto.

Judah (34-4, 25 KOs) will challenge Cotto (29-0, 24 KOs) for his WBA welterweight championship on June 9, at Madison Square Garden . Although the bout will be in Judah's hometown of New York City , Cotto will be fighting at the Garden on the eve of the Puerto Rican Day Parade for the third consecutive year.

"I am going to rain on his parade -- literally," Judah said after the official announcement was made. "On June 9, I'm going to sink his boat and on June 10, me and Tito (Trinidad) are going to ride Cotto's float in the Puerto Rican Parade. The Latinos already know it. I will have more Latino fans than he will at The Garden. There's a new Grand Marshall in town and his name is Zab Judah!"

"Cotto vs. Judah: X-Plosive" will be promoted by Top Rank, Inc., Prize Fight Promotions, and broadcast on HBO Pay-Per-View at a suggested retail of $44.95.

Cotto will have overwhelming support through out NYC and Judah could be the decisive underdog. This bout is such a "hot ticket" that promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank recently announced that an additional 3,000 tickets will be released for sale to the general public.

"Naturally we are ecstatic, but not totally surprised," said Arum. "We have been grooming and showcasing Miguel Cotto at The Garden and on national television for years in preparation for exactly this circumstance. New York has embraced Miguel and this fight as proven by the action at the box office."

This fight will mark the first time since 2001 that tickets in the upper mezzanine section at The Garden will be sold for a boxing match. More than 18,000 will be in attendance to see whether Judah can bounce back from a tumultuous 2006.

Last year was a pretty rough year for Judah , a 29 year-old from Brooklyn , NY . He squandered the undisputed world welterweight in a homecoming defense in a 12-round decision loss to Carlos Baldomir in January 2006.

Judah remained the IBF 147-pound champion, but lost that title to Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Judah risked disqualification when he blatantly fouled Mayweather that led to a tenth round melee. The result: a $250,000 fine and a one-year ban by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Judah returned in April. Ruben Galvin, an overmatched welterweight who was supposed to have been slaughtered. Instead, a cut on his head in the first round was ruled an unintentional foul and led to a no-contest.

A victory over Cotto, 26, Caguas , Puerto Rico, will be the biggest victory of Judah's career and it couldn't have come at a better time. The last time Judah's back was pressed against the wall entering a fight was when he traveled to St. Louis , MO to face hometown hero Cory Spinks for the undisputed world welterweight championship in February 2005.

Judah pressed Spinks and unleashed a one-sided beating that catapulted Judah straight to the top of the welterweight division.

Cotto Awaits

Judah will be in the ring against a very focused and a very strong champion in Cotto. While Judah has struggled, Cotto has made continuous strides toward becoming one of boxing's bigger marquee names.

Cotto unleashed a merciless 12-round beating against previously unbeaten Paul Malignaggi in June 2006. Cotto moved up from the junior welterweight division and became welterweight champion after pummeling Carlos Quintana through five rounds.

In Cotto's last fight, he successfully defended the WBA 147-pound title for the first time against a solid Oktay Urkal. The relentless power and pressure of Cotto's punches to Urkal's body raised a question that will be answered on June 9th.

Can Cotto breakdown a fighter as fast and as aggressive as Judah?

Cotto will clearly be the puncher in this fight. Judah maybe the underdog, but he is a live underdog that shouldn't be underestimated. Throughout his boxing career, Judah has never been out-of-shape for a fight. Judah is extremely quick.

He throws punches from various angles. Judah's power comes from his speed. When Judah hits an opponent square in their face, they become dazed. Add three-four more quick punches and Judah has his opponent in serious trouble.

Cotto has a tough chin and is very relentless. If an opponent swings and misses Cotto, the champion is young enough, quick enough, and sharp enough as a puncher to make them pay.

Judah has to make sure that when he throws a punch, it may not land flush but it must at least touch Cotto. Judah has been hit on his chin and planted on tasted the canvas before.

The stunning second round knockout loss Judah suffered against Kostya Tszyu in November 2001 maybe distant, but not forgotten. The consensus belief is that Judah is vulnerable and once Cotto hits him flush on the chin, it will mark the beginning of the end.

"I know I am ready to go 12 hard rounds and to destroy Zab Judah ," Cotto said during a recent conference call. "I just hope he's ready as well. I want to give the fans a great fight and that's why I prepare so hard for this fight."

An Action-Packed Fight

One thing is for sure. Cotto vs. Judah will be an action-packed fight. Cotto's brute power matched against Judah's hand speed. Both fighters have technique and are well trained.

Both can be very aggressive, especially Cotto, who likes to come straight forward. Judah can box, move around the ring well, and likes to apply relentless pressure when he has an opponent in trouble.

Styles make fights. Cotto and Judah both have styles that can make their encounter one of the most memorable in recent memory. Cotto vs. Judah could be the 2007 "Fight of the Year."

Cotto's Path Toward Greatness

At 26, Cotto is on a path toward becoming a great fighter. Cotto's rise toward the top is similar to Oscar De La Hoya's path to fame after wining a gold medal in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

Cotto started his professional career in February 2001. Cotto has already won the WBO junior welterweight and WBA welterweight championships. Recognizable names such as former world champions John Brown, Cesar Bazan, Randall Bailey, DeMarcus Corley, and current IBF junior welterweight champion, Lovermore N'dou have all been beaten by Cotto.

N'dou, on June 16 will meet Paul Maliginaggi, who suffered a brutal 12-round loss to Cotto last year on the eve of the Puerto Rican Day Parade.

Cotto at 147 could be the start of the next dominant eras in boxing. A number of attractive opponents that include interim WBC champion Sugar Shane Mosley, IBF champion Kermit Cintron, WBO welterweight champion Antonio Margarito, and unbeaten Paul Williams are in the same division with Cotto.

South of the boarder at 140 is Ricky Hatton, a former unified WBA welterweight and unified WBA/IBF junior welterweight champion, who will meet Jose Luis Castillo in a highly anticipated 12-round fight on June 23 in Las Vegas. Also, Junior Witter, Kendal Holt, and Demetrius Hopkins are some of the bigger names at 140.

Cotto vs. De La Hoya or Mayweather -- Don't Be Surprised!

If Cotto remains unbeaten against the upper echelon welterweights, don't be surprised if a Cotto vs. De La Hoya or a Cotto vs. Mayweather fight is discussed. Cotto is only one weight class below De La Hoya (154).

Mayweather, who beat De La Hoya on May 5, in the highest grossing fight in boxing history, has to decide whether he will retain WBC junior welterweight championship or resume is reign as WBC welterweight champion.

De La Hoya, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, seems to be enjoying his hectic schedule of fighting only once a year. De La Hoya appears to be in tremendous shape, as he proved against Mayweather that he is strong enough and fast enough to last twelve durable rounds against anyone he challenges.

Mayweather, an unbeaten world champion in five separate weight divisions, is going to need marquee opponents (other than De La Hoya) if he wishes to develop into a leading boxing pay-per-view entity. Mayweather vs. Cotto is an attractive match that can generate the interest outside of the boxing world once if promoted properly.

There is so much at stake for both Judah and Cotto. Only one will emerge victorious.

ALinChainz

06-07-2007, 05:17 PM

I say Cotto wins handily, Judah may pose some difficulty as far as his southapw stance, but I say Cotto blows his doors off.

binnie

06-08-2007, 04:29 AM

That's what I'd like to see.

I just wonder how Cotto will cope with the southpaw stance, plus Judah's speed and his ability to throw punches from unorthodox angles.

Judah could be a really, really dangerous fighter if he got his head together and put in the effort. I hope he actually puts his best on show, otherwise Cotto will walk it.

A Judah at his best could beat Cotto if he fights a smart fight, but on his past four performances, I can't see it happening...

ALinChainz

06-10-2007, 11:37 AM

Cotto-Judah round-by-round

By Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports

June 9, 2007

In looking to create a more "radical" atmosphere of music and sound for Saturday's world championship boxing pay-per-view event at Madison Square Garden, promoters Bob Arum and Todd duBoef of Top Rank knew there was only one man for the job – world-famous DJ JUSTIN HOFFMAN, nephew of radical activist and Chicago seven alumnus Abbie Hoffman. Hoffman, a native of the Boston area, is the DJ at Tryst at Wynn Las Vegas, where he spins the Las Vegas night life until dawn.

NEW YORK — The arena is electric and the sellout crowd of 20,658 is heavily pro-Miguel Cotto and is loudly chanting his name.

Whenever Zab Judah appears on the television screens, he is resoundingly booed. Everyone is on their feet as Judah begins to walk to the ring. A DJ asks the crowd to welcome Judah and he is met with an ear-splitting chorus of boos.

Judah is pacing in his corner as Cotto begins to walk to the ring to a tremendous ovation. Cotto goes to a neutral corner upon getting into the ring and falls to a knee in a silent prayer.

ROUND 1

Cotto lands a straight right early. Judah is flicking a jab that is short. First minute is very slow. Good left to body by Judah backs up Cotto. Judah rocks Cotto with a straight left. Judah goes down face first and is writhing in agony form a low blow with about a minute left in the round. Fight resumes after a 90-second wait. Judah pops a jab. Cotto doubles his jab. Judah’s round, 10-9.

ROUND 2

Cotto lands a hook and a jab. Judah keeps flicking his jab, but most of them are short. Judah’s speed advantage is apparent. Cotto goes to the body for a combination. Good right to the body by Cotto. Judah lands a left to the body. Crowd urges Cotto on. Judah is circling as Cotto stalks. Judah easily blocks Cotto’s hook to the head. Double left hook by Cotto lands. Cotto lands a combination. Judah lands a big left in the center of the ring that wobbles Cotto. Cotto’s round, 10-9.

ROUND 3

Crowd begins to chant for Judah. Judah goes down again from a low blow. There is 1:40 left. Judah is laying on his face and now is rolling around. Referee Arthur Mercante Jr. deducts a point from Cotto. Cotto’s mouth is bleeding and he has blood on his chest. Hard exchange in the center of the ring that Cotto gets the best of. Judah lands a body shot. Judah connects on an uppercut and Cotto responds with a body shot. Cotto lands a short left hand. Left uppercut by Judah lands. Judah is much quicker. Judah complains about a low blow. Judah’s round and with the point off, it’s 10-8.

ROUND 4

Cotto lands a couple of body shots. Judah has blood by his right eye. Good right hand by Cotto, maybe his best punch. Judah crouches low and then dances away. Cotto lands three jabs. Judah is not punching as much now. Cotto lands a combination, though it doesn’t appear to hurt Judah. Judah is taking a more defensive posture. Cotto’s round, 10-9.

ROUND 5

Judah backs into the corner and Cotto fires. Good right hand by Cotto inside. Cut on Judah’s eye is in a bad spot on his right eyebrow, but it’s not bleeding much now. Hard combination by Cotto. Short right inside by Cotto and Judah looks at referee to complain about hitting on the break. Jab by Cotto. Judah is showing little offense at this stage. There is a left to the body by Judah. Hard left inside by Judah. Cotto’s round, 10-9.

ROUND 6

Right inside by Judah. Judah warned for hitting on break. Fighters embrace as Mercante warns them. Cotto is bleeding from the forehead, apparently caused by the illegal blow. Judah doubles the jab. Cotto lands a hard right that staggers Judah into a neutral corner. Many in the crowd are on their feet. Judah is talking to Cotto. Cotto is firing hard shots inside. Cotto’s round, 10-9.

ROUND 7

Judah flicking jabs that land but don’t appear to bother Cotto. Cotto is the stronger fighter at this point. Uppercut by Judah lands. Cotto crouches under a Judah combination. Cotto lands a left and Judah connects with a hard three-punch combination that rocked Cotto. Judah fans begin to chant his name. Good combination by Cotto inside. Judah’s round, 10-9.

ROUND 8

Judah’s right eye is badly swollen and Cotto’s face is cut up. It’s been a grueling fight. Cotto lands a left in the corner. They trade in the center of the ring. Left by Cotto and then a right inside. Hard body shot by Cotto. Judah hurt by an uppercut and then a combination. Hook by Cotto hurts Judah. Cotto is in command. Judah appears weary. Another combination to the head by Cotto backs up Judah. Judah lands a body shot that has no impact. Cotto regained his lost momentum. Cotto’s round, 10-9.

ROUND 9

Cotto comes out firing again. Judah wipes at his swollen right eye. It has to be causing him vision problems. Judah again paws at his eye. Cotto comes in winging. Right hand by Cotto backs Judah to the corner. Cotto walking forward not bothered by Judah’s punches any longer. Judah takes a knee in his corner even though there was no punch landed. There is a minute left. Cotto is pummeling Judah at this point. Cotto is taunting Judah. Judah misses wildly with a hook. Cotto’s round, 10-8.

ROUND 10

Cotto resumes attack as crowd chants, “Let’s go Miguel.” Judah throws a combination that Cotto handles. Left by Cotto, but pace has slowed a bit. Cotto has switched southpaw. Judah’s corner urging him to attack. Right uppercut by Cotto. Judah forces them to the ropes. Cotto lands an uppercut and Judah wobbles into the corner in trouble. Only 10 seconds are left. Cotto fires away. Cotto’s round, 10-9.

ROUND 11

Cotto combination puts Judah down in first 30 seconds. Judah is up but wobbly. Mercante jumps in to stop it with about 50 seconds gone in the round. Miguel Cotto goes to 30-0 and retains WBA welterweight title.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news;_ylt=AknXNBufOP2K2zQO0SAqAcGUxLYF?slug=ki-cottoround060907&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Sarge's Little Helper

06-10-2007, 11:37 AM

ALinChainz

06-10-2007, 11:47 AM

Fightin' words

By Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports

June 9, 2007

NEW YORK – Miguel Cotto is ready. Bob Arum is ready.

The question that begs to be answered is whether Floyd Mayweather Jr. is ready.

Cotto set the stage for what could be the most intriguing welterweight bout since 1980 – when Roberto Duran and Sugar Ray Leonard fought in Montreal – by stopping Zab Judah in the 11th round Saturday before a raucous crowd of 20,658 at Madison Square Garden. Cotto did it with his sledgehammer punching power, brutally wearing Judah down as the fight progressed.

Cotto was pounding Judah so fiercely that Judah took the unconventional step of taking a knee in the ninth round without being hit to avoid taking more punishment.

"When you do that, it means you're getting your (butt) kicked, that's what that means," said veteran trainer Miguel Diaz, who worked as Cotto's cutman. "Don't say Zab is chicken. He showed a lot of courage because he was hit with a lot of very hard punches. After guys fight Cotto, they don't fight again."

Mayweather says he isn't fighting again after defeating Oscar De La Hoya last month in what was the biggest pay-per-view event in history. His adviser, Leonard Ellerbe, said earlier in the week that the only fighter who could lure Mayweather out of retirement was De La Hoya.

Though that rematch will probably occur because of the money involved, it would come nowhere close to being the match that a fight with Cotto would be.

Cotto doesn't have Mayweather's blazing speed or mind-boggling quickness. But Mayweather doesn't possess the paralyzing power that Cotto does.

Cotto isn't a one-punch knockout artist like, say, fellow Puerto Rican Felix Trinidad, the former welterweight and middleweight champion. But Trinidad's power was like the snap of a whip. Cotto's power is like being beaten with a club.

"They're different fighters," Judah said of Cotto and Mayweather. "But (Cotto) is a great fighter. A great fighter."

Top Rank president Todd duBoef said he'll try to make a Mayweather bout, though the short-term plan is to match Cotto with the winner of the July 14 bout between Antonio Margarito and Paul Williams.

Though Ellerbe said flatly that Mayweather would never fight in a Top Rank-promoted bout again, that would only be short-changing the public, the sport and Mayweather's own legacy.

"It's a doable fight from our perspective," duBoef said. "It depends upon what Floyd's (financial) expectations are. We did 20,658 in this house. That hasn't been done since (heavyweights Evander) Holyfield and Lennox Lewis (in 1999). It was a complete sellout."

The fight, though, wouldn't be about the money. This would be a battle of styles, a struggle for supremacy. There are few who believed De La Hoya was anywhere near as good as Mayweather and those who gave De La Hoya a chance to win that bout did so only believing that Mayweather had moved up too far in weight.

But Cotto is in his prime and is proving to be the Duran to Mayweather's Leonard. Trainer Emanuel Steward, calling the bout at ringside for HBO Pay-Per-View, suggested Cotto's defensive problems would cause him problems against Mayweather.

"It would be a good fight, but (Cotto's) defense needs to get a lot sharper because he's so open to be hit," Steward said. "He just can't get hit that much at this level. He's fighting too wide."

But Mayweather was unable to stop Judah like Cotto did on Saturday. Judah had his moments early in the fight and wobbled Cotto in the first round, but Cotto never quit coming.

By the sixth round, Judah had lost the steam from his fastball and he began to resort to looking for an opening to throw a haymaker.

By the eighth, he was hanging on. Judah said he was weakened by the low blows Cotto landed, though only the second appeared to be a significant shot and he seemed to try to milk the first.

Even referee Arthur Mercante Jr. seemed to have his doubts. After the second low blow, he urged Judah to fight, he said.

"(I said), 'I'm going to give you the five(-minute break). Take it and then be ready to go. You can't win a championship like this, so let's fight,' " Mercante said of his second-round talk with Judah. "He did and it turned out to be a great fight."

As good as it was – and be assured that the bout will garner its share of votes for 2007 Fight of the Year and may be the leader in the clubhouse – it won't come close to a Mayweather-Cotto fight in terms of both suspense and strategy.

Mayweather has frequently mocked Cotto as "easy work," and there is little doubt that Cotto would have difficulty with Mayweather's fast hands and accurate punches.

But Leonard had a similar advantage over Duran and yet Duran managed to pull out a victory in a pitched battle in their first match.

Mayweather and his team seem to want to anoint themselves the greatest, but the greats have to accept the greatest challenges.

I believe – and have for more than six years – that Mayweather is the best fighter in the world. I think he would beat Cotto.

But more than anything else, I want to see him prove that in the ring.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news;_ylt=Ai3mVp7hdr4tQ7QVpdbhL7udCIh4?slug=ki-cottonext060907&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

binnie

06-13-2007, 03:27 AM

Cheers for those articles Al, much appreciated.

Did you see the fight? I thought it was really great, and I'd like to see a rematch.

Cotto really uped his game, and Judah was better than he had been in recent performances.

Cotto-Mayweather would be a great fight: maybe Cotto would have the intensity and hands speed to cause Mayweather serious problems, but Floyd would have to be the favourite, right?

binnie

06-13-2007, 03:28 AM

It's only about two weeks to Hatton-Castilio.

Methinks that will be a WAR!

ALinChainz

06-13-2007, 11:53 AM

Originally posted by binnie
Cheers for those articles Al, much appreciated.

Did you see the fight? I thought it was really great, and I'd like to see a rematch.

Cotto really uped his game, and Judah was better than he had been in recent performances.

Cotto-Mayweather would be a great fight: maybe Cotto would have the intensity and hands speed to cause Mayweather serious problems, but Floyd would have to be the favourite, right?

This fight I did not buy. I will see it on HBO this weekend if the show it. The one thing that bothered me reading it is that Cotto seemed to hit low a little more than you'd think, but heavy body punchers do that.

Judah hit Floyd low and deliberate, so I guess its justice.

From what I've read, the consensus seems to be Mayweather over Cotto, but I doubt he'd ever risk it. He'd box and stay away, and Cotto does get hit a little more than you would like, but again, he takes one to deliver one. Cotto may concede the lion's share of the money to Floyd just to get a shot, but I don't see it happening.

binnie

06-13-2007, 12:02 PM

No, I don't see Floyd's people risking it: Cotto is a puncher with fast hands, so there is a big risk there.

Cotto did hit a little low, but nothing major, and I'm not convinced it was deliberate.

Judah put up a good fight until the last couple of rounds, I was impressed with him. But, as always with him, it came down to heart, endurance and consistency: he was in a tough fight and he switched off. Since the Baldomir fight, he's just not been as dangerous as he used to be - but it was still a good show from him.

But he flustered Judah, and forced the pace, which is what he stands a chance (and it is a chance) of doing if he faces Mayweather.

binnie

06-13-2007, 12:03 PM

Also, it seems that Kessler-Calzaghe is looking likely for Septmeber.

Calzaghe's people have accepted the deal to fight in Denmark. The contracts haven't been signed yet, as Kessler's manager is in hosptial, but it looks like this one might happen.

Fingers crossed.

bastardog

06-13-2007, 03:21 PM

It was a really good figth.......Cotto never stooped doing his planned job during the rounds.
Judah in my oppinion lost hist heart at the middle but still made a good job.

To me this was Cotto's best figth and finally convinced me he is a good allaround boxer.

Waaaay better than De la Hoya/Mayweather

DlocRoth

06-13-2007, 06:29 PM

I'd like to see Ricky Hatton get his ass handed to him, thank you very much.

Why?

No reason, I just want J.L. to take him.

That is all.

binnie

06-14-2007, 03:59 AM

Originally posted by DlocRoth
I'd like to see Ricky Hatton get his ass handed to him, thank you very much.

Why?

No reason, I just want J.L. to take him.

That is all.

I think that will be a great fight, a real war.

Hatton should win it for my money, but his problem his that he balloond up between fights (like 40lbs). There's only so many times you can do that before it really starts to effect your body, so I'm hoping that's not the case here.

Also, he needs to start throwing body shots again, he's one of the best body punchers out there.

If we get a fight like Hatton-Tszu (I've definately spelt that incorrectly) then I'll be more than happy...

bastardog

06-14-2007, 10:07 AM

I hope that Hatton wins to Castillo.
In one time, during the after figth interview, someone mentioned that the winner of that figth would be next Cotto's figth.

I really don't like Hatton style of running to his opponent trowing some punches to then hold him.

If Hatton wins could be another good figth with Cotto. And I'm willing to bet a six-pack of PR beer (Medalla) to any six-pack of beer of any contry to Cotto.

binnie

06-14-2007, 10:52 AM

Cotto-Hatton would be good, but I really don't think that Hatton can opperate that well at 147.

No shame in that, so guys are great at one weight (Haglar?). I'd much rather see Cotto-Mayweather

ALinChainz

06-14-2007, 12:02 PM

Originally posted by binnie
Also, it seems that Kessler-Calzaghe is looking likely for Septmeber.

Calzaghe's people have accepted the deal to fight in Denmark. The contracts haven't been signed yet, as Kessler's manager is in hosptial, but it looks like this one might happen.

Fingers crossed.

I think this fight is a much better match-up than the Hatton-Castillo fight.

Styles may be perfect if each fights to their strengths.

My early pick would be Kessler. I might be alone here on that.

bastardog

06-14-2007, 12:21 PM

Originally posted by binnie
Cotto-Hatton would be good, but I really don't think that Hatton can opperate that well at 147.

No shame in that, so guys are great at one weight (Haglar?). I'd much rather see Cotto-Mayweather

Definitely Cotto-Mayweather would be a better by far figth but I don't see it comming so soon.
I don't see Cotto with enough resorces to win and I'm pretty sure his management see it same way. So they won't want to risk their golden egg goose with the best one before been sure he has a real good chance. And in the process get more money with easier figths with the excuse of gaining more experience

binnie

06-15-2007, 07:18 AM

From telegrpah.co.uk

The "superfight" between Joe Calzaghe and Mikkel Kessler moved a step closer yesterday when Mogens Palle agreed to the terms being asked by fellow promoter Frank Warren for the three-belt super-middleweight contest between the two world champions to go ahead in Denmark in the autumn.

Warren confirmed two weeks ago that he had accepted Palle's original offer for Calzaghe to go to Denmark. The only remaining stumbling block is that Warren seeks a September date for the contest, while Palle wants the fight to go ahead in November, when he celebrates the 50th anniversary of his involvement in boxing.

Calzaghe, 35, is the present World Boxing Organisation super-middleweight champion and is the longest reigning title holder in any weight class, having won the belt nearly 10 years ago.

advertisement
Kessler, 28, is the World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association super-middleweight title-holder.

Police reports from Las Vegas, meanwhile, have confirmed that Diego 'Chico' Corrales, 29, the former super-featherweight and lightweight world champion, was driving drunk at more than three times the legal limit when he crashed his motorcycle and died in the city on May 7.

binnie

06-15-2007, 09:03 AM

From sportinglife.com

By Mark Staniforth, PA Sport

Ricky Hatton has revealed how fear of complacency has propelled him to get into the best shape ever for his light-welterweight showdown with Jose Luis Castillo on June 23.

Hatton has already been in the scorching desert city for a week as he finishes preparations for what he expects to be the toughest fight of his career to date against the ferocious Mexican.

Castillo looked dreadful during his victory over Herman Ngoudjo on the Hatton undercard in January, but Hatton is expecting to face a very different opponent.

Hatton said: "When you fight a guy who's done what he's done you get a little bit more excited about it.

"My training camp has been the best I've had by a country mile, and that's because of the man I will have in front of me.

"I expect him to train harder than he has ever trained before in his life because a win against me could lead to so many big-money match-ups for him, but if he loses his stock goes down.

"I think this will be a similar fight to my Kostya Tszyu fight. This really is my kind of fight. Styles make fights and we are two people who don't take a backward step."

Hatton is desperate to impress American audiences after two consecutive performances - against Luis Collazo and Juan Urango - which he admitted were a little below par.

For his second fight in Vegas he has rented a house along with brother Matthew and domestic middleweight prospect Matthew Macklin in order to avoid air conditioning problems and the sizzling 40-degree heat.

And Hatton is planning on producing nothing less than the kind of performance to eclipse some of the greatest wars in recent boxing history which helped make Castillo's name,

He added: "Castillo's fight against Diego Corrales was one of the fights of the century and if there was any pair up of styles that could even beat that, you would have to say it was me and Castillo.

"I don't want to be remembered as the greatest of all time but in years to come I want people to say, he was a good fighter.

"People have DVDs of great fights on their shelves and I want a Ricky Hatton fight to be one of those."

ALinChainz

06-15-2007, 07:58 PM

Toney, Batchelder suspended for steroid use

June 13, 2007

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA (TICKER) -- Former three-time world champion James Toney and Danny Batchelder on Wednesday were issued one-year suspensions by the California State Athletic Commission after failing steroids tests following their bout on May 24.

Toney fought Batchelder in San Jose, California at the HP Pavilion, winning in a split-decision.

But in tests conducted afterwards, Toney tested positive for two different types of steroids. Batchelder tested positive for three different kinds of steroids and an elevated T/E Ratio.

Both fighters also were fined $2,500 and suspended until May 22, 2008, pending an appeal.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=txtoneysuspended&prov=st&type=lgns

binnie

06-16-2007, 03:39 AM

Originally posted by ALinChainz
Toney, Batchelder suspended for steroid use

June 13, 2007

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA (TICKER) -- Former three-time world champion James Toney and Danny Batchelder on Wednesday were issued one-year suspensions by the California State Athletic Commission after failing steroids tests following their bout on May 24.

Toney fought Batchelder in San Jose, California at the HP Pavilion, winning in a split-decision.

But in tests conducted afterwards, Toney tested positive for two different types of steroids. Batchelder tested positive for three different kinds of steroids and an elevated T/E Ratio.

Both fighters also were fined $2,500 and suspended until May 22, 2008, pending an appeal.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=txtoneysuspended&prov=st&type=lgns

What a pair of dumbasses!

How whould steroirds actually help you in boxing anyway, I really don't know much about them?

Any word on Holyfield's drug case?

binnie

06-16-2007, 03:42 AM

Originally posted by ALinChainz

My early pick would be Kessler. I might be alone here on that.

Maybe here, but most of the buzz on the internet favours Kessler. He does have the advantage of age, and he's going to have the home crowd.

I'd still go with Calzaghe though, just from a speed point of view and the fact that he's far, far fitter and more durable, which will only suit the later rounds.

Should be a great fight though, I agree.

Would have also liked to have seem Jermain Taylor step up to the plate against Calzaghe, but money halted that.

DlocRoth

06-16-2007, 10:11 AM

Originally posted by ALinChainz
Toney, Batchelder suspended for steroid use

June 13, 2007

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA (TICKER) -- Former three-time world champion James Toney and Danny Batchelder on Wednesday were issued one-year suspensions by the California State Athletic Commission after failing steroids tests following their bout on May 24.

Toney fought Batchelder in San Jose, California at the HP Pavilion, winning in a split-decision.

But in tests conducted afterwards, Toney tested positive for two different types of steroids. Batchelder tested positive for three different kinds of steroids and an elevated T/E Ratio.

Both fighters also were fined $2,500 and suspended until May 22, 2008, pending an appeal.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=txtoneysuspended&prov=st&type=lgns

That was a long time coming.....

I love Lights out, he used to be one of my faves....

But what is he, 40 now?

I bet he's done.

I think he coined the phrase "I see red, you're dead."

ALinChainz

06-16-2007, 10:37 AM

Originally posted by binnie
Maybe here, but most of the buzz on the internet favours Kessler. He does have the advantage of age, and he's going to have the home crowd.

I'd still go with Calzaghe though, just from a speed point of view and the fact that he's far, far fitter and more durable, which will only suit the later rounds.

Should be a great fight though, I agree.

Would have also liked to have seem Jermain Taylor step up to the plate against Calzaghe, but money halted that.

Man I don't know, fitter?

Last fight I saw with Kessler, he looked to be a beast, fairly cut. Doesn't Calzaghe have a hand issue at the moment?

That I may not be clear on, seems like I read that though.

ALinChainz

06-16-2007, 10:41 AM

Originally posted by DlocRoth
That was a long time coming.....

I love Lights out, he used to be one of my faves....

But what is he, 40 now?

I bet he's done.

I think he coined the phrase "I see red, you're dead."

I liked him too. When he first destroyed Michael "Second To" Nunn when Nunn was the shit ...

This is his second steroid suspension, you'd think he'd get it by now.

ALinChainz

06-16-2007, 10:46 AM

Originally posted by binnie
What a pair of dumbasses!

How whould steroirds actually help you in boxing anyway, I really don't know much about them?

Any word on Holyfield's drug case?

Steroids not only build mass, but helps you recover much faster also.

No clue on Holyfield.

ALinChainz

06-17-2007, 11:45 AM

Malignaggi beats N'Dou for IBF junior welterweight title

June 17, 2007

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) -- Paul Malignaggi won the IBF junior welterweight title Saturday night, outpointing champion Lovemore Ndou in a lopsided unanimous decision.

Malignaggi (23-1) used his speed and quickness to keep N'dou at bay. He landed a left-hook counter in the ninth round to score the fight's only knockdown.

Two judges scored it 120-106. One judge scored it 118-108.

Malignaggi's best weapon was his jab, which he landed often throughout the fight. He also threw several combinations that landed, and was the far more effective counter-puncher.

The 35-year-old Ndou, from Australia, spent a majority of the bout pursuing Malignaggi, but most of his punches were blocked.

A frustrated Ndou (45-9-1) had a point taken away in Round 6 after repeatedly hitting Malignaggi in the back of the head. Ndou landed one good right hand in Round 8, his best round of the fight.

The loss snapped a six-fight winning streak for N'dou, who captured the IBF title in Australia in February. He won a technical decision over Naoufel Ben Rabah.

It was Malignaggi's second title bout. The 26-year-old from New York lost a unanimous decision to Miguel Cotto in June, 2006 for the WBO light welterweight title.

Ndou was making his first title defense. He also lost a title fight by unanimous decision to Cotto in May, 2004.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news;_ylt=At4ycTR_ebT7Ht5km51QDRyUxLYF?slug=ap-malignaggi-ndou&prov=ap&type=lgns

ALinChainz

06-17-2007, 11:48 AM

Erdei retains WBO light heavyweight title with TKO over Blades

June 16, 2007

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) -- Zsolt Erdei retained his WBO light heavyweight title on Saturday, stopping American challenger George Blades in the 11th round.

Referee Joe Cortez halted the bout at 2:27 of the round after Erdei unleashed a flurry of blows and staggered Blades with a right hook.

It was Erdei's eighth successful title defense since winning the belt in January 2004 in a unanimous decision over Mexico's Julio Cesar Gonzalez.

Erdei (27-0, 17 KOs), from Hungary, dominated the bout from the beginning, repeatedly scoring with a left jab.

"It wasn't as easy as it looked and I lost my breath a couple of times, but I quickly regained my momentum each time," Erdei said after his first fight in his homeland in almost three years.

"I think the referee had enough of my opponent getting soundly beaten and he was right to stop the fight."

Blades started energetically but landed few solid punches. He tired noticeably after the sixth round, hitting Erdei several times below the belt.

Erdei often planted himself in the middle of the ring, easily avoiding Blades' punches and retaliating mostly with left jabs and right hooks.

In January, Blades (21-3, 16 KO) won the WBC Latino light heavyweight title with a seventh-round knockout of John Romans Williams of Costa Rica.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news;_ylt=AjlmAqe4tA_AIO8k2DvA_bWUxLYF?slug=ap-erdei-blades&prov=ap&type=lgns

ALinChainz

06-17-2007, 10:01 PM

Hatton looks beyond Castillo to Mayweather showdown

June 17, 2007

By Mark Staniforth PA SportsTicker Boxing Writer

MANCHESTER, England (Ticker) - Ricky Hatton is still hoping to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. despite the self-styled 'Pretty Boy' announcing his retirement after last month's win over Oscar de la Hoya.

Hatton will enhance his reputation in the United States if he turns in an explosive performance next Saturday to defeat Jose Luis Castillo for the lightly-regarded IBO light welterweight title at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.

For Hatton, a win over Castillo would provide a springboard for the fight he really wants, a showdown with the unbeaten and hugely talented Mayweather.

The all-action Brit is confident Mayweather will be unable to resist such an invitation.

"I don't think Mayweather will retire because he wants to be remembered as an all-time great, but for that he still has to do something a little bit more," Hatton said. "On talent and boxing ability, he is second to none, but in terms of excitement I haven't seen Mayweather in one good fight yet. He has become very negative as he has gotten older.

"In 10 to 15 years, when you're a fight historian and you look on that shelf where all the great fights are, are you going to reach for a Floyd Mayweather video? Floyd is far better than Arturo Gatti, but people will be watching Gatti videos long after they will be watching Mayweather's. He never gets me on the edge of my seat."

Hatton's clash against Castillo is virtually guaranteed to provide more excitement than Mayweather's cagey points verdict over 'Golden Boy' de la Hoya for the WBC light-middleweight title.

`Hitman' Hatton who expects to roared on by up to 10,000 English supporters says he is taking nothing for granted.

"Castillo is going to be in the shape of his life because it might be his last chance," the 28-year-old Hatton said.

"These are the fights I live for. I'm not bothered about being remembered as the greatest of all time, but I want people to watch my fights in years to come and say, there was a guy who could really fight."

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=txhattoncastillo&prov=st&type=lgns

blonddgirl777

06-17-2007, 11:13 PM

Originally posted by binnie
... How do you guys see it going?...

BINNIE!!! :mad:

How could you :confused:...

Forget about us... women :confused:

L.O.L.

Anyway... it smells bad in this forum...
I'm outta here!
:cool:

DlocRoth

06-18-2007, 10:06 PM

You sexist motherfuck. ;)

blonddgirl777

06-18-2007, 10:43 PM

Nhaaaa....

Binnie is not sexist... he just likes his ladies IN THE MUFF thread!

binnie

06-22-2007, 03:55 AM

Hatton vs Catillio this weekend!

From The Guardian

Castillo out to rebuild reputation by fighting Hatton's fire with fire

John Rawling in Las Vegas
Friday June 22, 2007
The Guardian

José Luis Castillo promises he will defeat Ricky Hatton here tomorrow night to prove he is the best light-welterweight in the world. He smiles as he sits on the edge of the ring in the gymnasium where he has completed his preparations for the contest, amused by the suggestion that he has a walk-forward aggressive style that is tailor-made for the rampaging Hatton.
The 33-year-old Mexican measures his words as surely as the big punches he believes he can still produce to inflict a first professional defeat on Hatton and says: "He might think I am made for him, but I feel his style is absolutely right for me. He comes forward and I will not have to go looking for him. Ricky Hatton has had a lot of fights, but he has not seen anything like me. He is used to slow, cumbersome fighters, but I have real hand speed and that will cut him down.

He says he will push me back and says that I cannot fight on the back foot. But I think the same thing about him. This could be a great fight, if he wants to box, but I know he can be a dirty fighter. If he tries any tricks with me, I will do the same to him. He should know I will do what it takes to win this fight.
"With Diego Corrales [the late Californian lightweight, whom he fought in two famously bruising bouts] you could see the punches coming, but that is not the case with Hatton because he comes at you from all angles and he is very reckless. If he comes out and uses his elbows and holds, then people won't like it. He knows how to be a real rough guy and there is no rhythm to what he does.

"But Ricky has got great heart and great courage. He has got to do what he has to do to win. And if he fights like he did in the first few rounds against Kostya Tszyu, it will be a great fight."

As a veteran of 63 contests, with a professional record that began more than 17 years ago, Castillo has mixed with the best. He twice took the brilliant Floyd Mayweather the distance, giving the man who is widely hailed as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world his hard nights. And he has recorded wins against impressive performers such as the Cuban Joel Casamayor and his great American rival Corrales, who recently died in a motorbike accident.

Like Hatton, Castillo has dedicated this contest to the memory of Corrales. They fought twice, first when Corrales got off the floor to stop him in the 10th round of one of the most thrilling contests in recent years. Then, in their second meeting two years ago, Castillo gained brutal revenge as he scored a stunning single-punch knockout in the fourth round. But that second fight was controversial because Castillo, physically huge for a lightweight, had experienced chronic weight-making difficulties. He had failed to make the championship limit, meaning the contest was stripped of its world-title status with Castillo having his purse slashed.

A proposed third meeting with Corrales had to be cancelled last year when Castillo once more failed to make the weight, and he was left with a punishment of a six-month suspension and a $250,000 (£125,500) fine imposed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

"This is a new start for me," Castillo said. "I have trained well and everything has gone according to plan with my weight for this fight. People have questioned my commitment, but I know in my heart I want to keep fighting and beating Ricky Hatton will prove that I am a great boxer. I have the will to keep fighting.

"I love the sport and I still have things to prove. Boxing is in my blood. For me, it is natural because it is in me. I believe that Hatton, technically, is not as efficient as I am and I will exploit his weaknesses. He has a very big heart, and a good chin, but he is not good enough to beat me.

"I know it will be a very hard fight, and it will be exciting because of our styles. He comes forward and wants to throw a lot of punches, and I am the same. We are both very committed fighters and, when we step through the ropes, nobody is going to be disappointed. Ricky is a nice man. After this is over, we will sit down and drink some beer together, but this is my chance to start again."

Packing a punch

Ricky Hatton packs a punch with the force of almost half a tonne, according to scientific tests. Sensors were attached to a punchbag by researchers at the University of Manchester and they worked out that his punch registers 400kg - nearly half a tonne and 10 times the force of an ordinary mortal's. The average speed of his punches was 25mph - giving opponents a reaction time of less than a tenth of a second. His fastest was clocked at 32mph, a blistering left hook. After the experiments Hatton said: "It was great working with the experts and the technology, and for me it was really interesting to see just how fast and hard I can hit." He was tested by engineers from the School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, led by Dr Qingming Li. They attached sensors to a 30kg (66lb) punchbag wired to a computer that analysed the data. Hatton then hit the bag so hard that the sensor malfunctioned. "The level of force he generated was quite astonishing," Dr Li said.

binnie

06-22-2007, 03:56 AM

Cheers for those update Al, I'd forgotten about the Erdei-Blades fight.

I'm surprised by that outcome

binnie

06-22-2007, 03:56 AM

Originally posted by blonddgirl777
Nhaaaa....

Binnie is not sexist... he just likes his ladies IN THE MUFF thread!

I like ladies anywhere!

Especially you Blondgirll :)

binnie

06-22-2007, 06:38 AM

Originally posted by ALinChainz
Man I don't know, fitter?

Last fight I saw with Kessler, he looked to be a beast, fairly cut. Doesn't Calzaghe have a hand issue at the moment?

That I may not be clear on, seems like I read that though.

Calzaghe always has hands issues lol!

Seriously, he has very brittle hands and can''t punch at full power as a result. He damaged his hand against Manfredo, but it's recovered now and is ready to fight in September.

He must have broken his hands four or five times in the last three years.

I seem to remember that Kessler has had a similar problem in the past too

ALinChainz

06-23-2007, 10:35 PM

Hatton is holding WAY too much in this fight, right from round one.

Castillo is having to resort to the same thing. Castillo should be shooting that long jab out there.

Hatton talked like he was coming out like a house of fire.

He isn't.

ALinChainz

06-23-2007, 10:46 PM

Thank you Harold Lederman and Max Kellerman.

Hatton is initiating the holding.

They took a point away from Castillo for low blows with no warning, and in the instructions, they said Hatton's trunks were too high.

This fight was bullshit.

ALinChainz

06-23-2007, 10:52 PM

Kostya Tzsu , old and done. Castillo couldn't make weight in his last fight with Corrales and was suspended a year.

Not impressed with Hatton and Floyd would beat him.

binnie

06-24-2007, 04:02 PM

I couldn't get this fight 'cos I was out of town.

From the reviews I've read, sounded like Hatton killed him. A body punch in the fouth, right?

I was expecting a 12 rounder to be honest.

No question that Hatton is dirty fighter: holding, butting, elbows are all part of his game. Just like they were with Holyfield.

Hatton's normal style is just to keep coming forward, like Jake la Motta, and throw to the body. He is a demon body puncher, and loves a brawl, but there are only so many brawls you can be in before time catches up wth you.

Al, I agree that Mayweather would win in a bout with Hatton (not too sure about "beating" because I don't think Mayweather "beats" anyone, he outboxes and outmarts them). Hatton would keep at him though, constant pressure, and if he landed some half decent body shots to low Mayweather, then we could have a good contest. That's the only unnown with Mayweather, no one's hit him yet.

Persoanlly, I'd rather see Cotto-Maweather. I think Hatton needs another couple of big fights against people who are mobile before he gets in with Floyd

binnie

06-24-2007, 05:30 PM

Here's the fourth round for anyone who didn't see it, I'm still searching on the first three to see about the holding that Al is talking about. This round is prety much vintage Hatton: fighting close, lots of body shots and wearing his opponent down slowly. It's not pretty, it's not a display of skills or flair, but it's a style I like.

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Cn2B1UlWLuc"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Cn2B1UlWLuc" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>

ALinChainz

06-24-2007, 10:20 PM

Originally posted by ALinChainz
Thank you Harold Lederman and Max Kellerman.

Hatton is initiating the holding.

They took a point away from Castillo for low blows with no warning, and in the instructions, they said Hatton's trunks were too high.

This fight was bullshit.

This is what the guys calling the bout were saying.

After the fight, they were in agreement that Castillo was a shell, a "shot fighter".

Hatton has signed with HBO, and they want to push him, and this was still what they were saying.

Killed him? A body shot takes Castillo out?

I guess if you get a chance to see it, watch it.

Hatton talked a lot of shit before this fight, I guess I don't see it and have never been impressed with him. Both of his biggest wins were against fighters at the end of the line.

ALinChainz

06-24-2007, 10:22 PM

When I said "beat", I meant "win".

No, he doesn't put "beatings" on anyone anymore.

Seshmeister

06-24-2007, 10:37 PM

Boxing is shit these days.

Fucking rubbish.

All about money and politics.

How the fuck can you get knocked out by a punch in the ribs?

The commentators are full of shit.

Gay.

Cheers!

:gulp:

ALinChainz

06-24-2007, 10:45 PM

I'm sure there were many latin fighters that were thinking, "what a puss" also.

I'm sure the shot was a good one, body shots can be lethal.

I just don't know why they tried to hype this fight as some great impending war.

Castillo has been irrelevant for quite some time now, failed to make weight and suspended in the last year.

Everyone had Hatton winning this easy, but the spin is on to at least have someone tune in.

Hatton alone is not generating a PPV fight alone, thats why the smack with Mayweather.

Seshmeister

06-24-2007, 10:52 PM

It's $30 for PPV here.

I was sitting a bit bored last night and nearly paid it.

Glad I didn't.

Boxing is a sham these days. They should just go the whole way and make it the same as wrestling. At least it might be funny that way.

binnie

06-25-2007, 03:15 AM

Boxing is a sham these days.

That's why UFC and all the similar sports are becoming more popular, becuase the tops guys reguarly fight each other.

What boxing needs is to unify the the belts in each division, so that all the tops guys have to fight one another. Then we would see some great fights.

And Sesh, it is actually possible to be knoked out from a body shot, there are enough pressure points around there to do it. In this case, it looks to me like it was a case of unbearable pain: when some hits you with a really good body shot, it feels like all of your insides want to exit your entire body at once. It can be crippling if thrown by an expert, like Hatton.

binnie

06-25-2007, 03:17 AM

I guess the next big fight is Winky-Hopkins.

Not going to be explosive by any means is it? Should be interesting for fight fans though, more of a meeting of minds than fists...

DlocRoth

06-25-2007, 09:21 AM

Liver shot.

And that low blow call was bullshit. I'm not saying Castillo had a chance, but at least he was mixing it up inside a bit before he got pointed.

Either way, what a fucking disappointment.

Seshmeister

06-25-2007, 09:42 AM

Originally posted by binnie
I guess the next big fight is Winky-Hopkins.

Who's that?

Wee Willy Winky v. Mary Hopkins?

ALinChainz

06-25-2007, 01:24 PM

[B]Mayweather may take bait for Hatton superfight

June 25, 2007

By Mark Staniforth PA SportsTicker Boxing Writer

LAS VEGAS (Ticker)[B] - Ricky Hatton's dream showdown against Floyd Mayweather Jr. has moved closer to becoming reality after his stunning win over Jose Luis Castillo in Las Vegas on Saturday.

Mayweather's uncle and trainer, Roger Mayweather, says his man could be ready to reverse the retirement decision he announced after outpointing Oscar de la Hoya last month.

And Hatton would be high on his list of potential opponents, with few other rivals capable of providing the pay-per-view interest required to bankroll a Mayweather return.

"The only way for Ricky to get Floyd in the ring is to drive up to where Floyd is at with a truck-load of money to persuade him out of retirement," Roger Mayweather said. "If Ricky and Floyd did fight it would be one of the greatest fights of all time. There has to be enough money, but enough money will get a dead man out of his grave."

Hatton has wasted no opportunity to pour scorn on what he perceives to be Mayweather's negative style, claiming his latest win contained more excitement than Mayweather's whole career.

Hatton took less than four full rounds to dispatch the Mexican - who had previously twice been the distance with Mayweather - with a breathtaking body shot.

And despite many shrewd judges giving Hatton little chance against the commonly accepted pound-for-pound world No. 1, Hatton is rightly bullish about his ability to hand Mayweather his first defeat.

Mayweather might be the pound-for-pound best in the world, but I think my style is his worst nightmare," Hatton said. "I think I've got the style to beat him. He needs me like he needs a hole in the head."

Fuelled by a growing desire to contest superfights for the remainder of his career, Hatton says he is reconsidering his previous pledge never again to step up to the 147 pounds welterweight limit.

On his only previous attempt, he struggled desperately to outpoint Luis Collazo in Boston, and was subsequently warned against repeating the feat by his trainer Billy Graham.

Given the exodus of potential 140 pounds rivals like Mayweather and Miguel Cotto to the higher division, Hatton is having second thoughts and now believes his future may lie in putting on the pounds.

"That is where all the big names are," Hatton said. "Against Collazo, I had seven weeks to move up and I didn't carry the weight comfortably and I lost a bit of mobility.

"Nigel Benn told me I really needed two or three fights to grow into the weight and given more time I am convinced I would be able to fight a damn sight better."

DlocRoth

06-25-2007, 06:49 PM

I don't know......

Hatton said it. Mayweather doesn't need him. Hatton is no legacy fight.

Plus that fucker can hit like a mule. He would have one hell of a puncher's chance against Floyd.

I say no way Mayweather takes that fight.

binnie

06-26-2007, 03:14 AM

If that fight happens at 147, it's an easy win for Mayweather as Ricky is a natural 140 pounder. Some guys are only great at one weight, and there's no shame in that.

If it happens at 140, it'll be a hell of a fight. But Mayweather will still win. Hatton can bang, and his body punches could really slow Floyd down, and he will also butt and elbow. But all of that is dependent on him actually being able to corner or catch Mayweather, and I just don't think his footwork is good enough for him to do it. He would certianly apply constant pressure for 12 rounds, but I just don't see him winning (much as I'm a fan).

Cotto- Mayweather would be much more competitive in my oopinion.

Or Shane Mosely-Maweather. "The battle of the lightinging fists" could be the tag line, lol! I think Mosley might just have the skills and speed to push Floyd.

binnie

06-26-2007, 03:48 AM

More talk from the Mayweather camp, from sportinglife.com

Ricky Hatton's taunts may have had the desired effect and tempted Floyd Mayweather out of retirement.

After Hatton's stunning fourth-round stoppage of Jose Luis Castillo at the weekend, the IBF light welterweight champion challenged Mayweather to a multi-million-pound super-fight.

Both fighters are unbeaten, but Mayweather had previously insisted last month's victory over Oscar de la Hoya would be his final bout.

Now, Mayweather's adviser Leonard Ellerbe claims Hatton's jibes have paid off.

"He got Floyd's attention. Now we're calling his bluff," Ellerbe told the New York Daily News.

"All he has to do is make a deal and he'll have his chance to back up all that talk. All that's standing between him and Floyd is air and opportunity.

"We can make the deal this week. He's very, very disrespectful. He's trying to promote himself off Floyd's name.

"When we make the deal, we'll show the world why he's the most overrated fighter of this decade.

"Floyd has never taken any fight personally. But he's taking this personally. Floyd is going to kick his butt."

Ellerbe revealed Mayweather was far from impressed by Hatton's performance against Castillo at the Thomas and Mack Center, Las Vegas.

He said: "He said he only wants to fight the best - then sign the contract. Floyd's going to show all his fans in Britain just what a phoney he is."

binnie

06-27-2007, 04:35 AM

Mayweather sounds pissed off, but is it al rhetoric?

From sportinglife.com

SPORTS HEADLINES

Mayweather - out to silence Hatton.

PRETTY BOY READY TO SILENCE HATTON
E-mail Article Print-Friendly Subscribe to RSS Feed
Post to del.icio.us

Click here for more boxing news

Floyd Mayweather Jr says he's ready to get in the ring with Ricky Hatton and "beat him all the way back to England."

The Pretty Boy announced his retirement from the sport after beating Oscar De La Hoya in their Las Vegas superfight last month.

But he's now fuming at Hatton's jibes after the Manchester hitman knocked out Jose Luis Castillo on Saturday night.

And it appears that a blockbusting showdown between the pair could well happen at last.

Mayweather said: "Ricky Hatton has talked nonstop about fighting me for the last two weeks.

"He has disrespected me and my accomplishments in the ring, and I take that very seriously. I'm going to give him the opportunity to step up and fight the best in the world. I don't think this punk will take the challenge."

A potential Mayweather/Hatton bout would feature two of the sport's best undefeated fighters. With his win over Castillo, Hatton improved his record to 43-0 with 31 KO's. Mayweather is 38-0 with 24 KO's.

"Now that Hatton has opened up his big mouth, he might start to think about what he has been asking for," continued Mayweather.

"Does he really want to step into the ring with best fighter of this era and embarrass himself? Being the coward that he is, I doubt he'll get in the ring. We'll see what his excuse will be this time."

Hatton has made no secret of his desire to break America and he has made it known that he covets a bout with Mayweather, long regarded by many fight fans as the best pound-for-pound boxer of his generation.

And Mayweather insists that the 28-year-old's talking has had the desired effect.

"Ricky Hatton is the most over-rated fighter of the last 25 years.

"He beat an old (Kostya) Tszyu and he beat an old Castillo who was shot. I beat Castillo twice and the first time I did it with one hand because the other was so messed up.

"That was five years ago when Castillo was in his prime. I was retired but I'll sign to fight Hatton right now."

Mayweather, 30, was dismissive of Hatton's ability and insisted he would go all out to cause his prospective opponent pain.

He said: "I've tried to let the things he said about me slide by but now he's 'dissing' me on national TV and I want to shut him up.

"I've never wanted to hurt an opponent like I do Hatton. For me, boxing is a science but it will be a pleasure to prove to the world what a great phoney the guy is.

"Ricky Hatton cannot fight. He cannot box. He throws one punch at a time and then holds. There is no skill to what he does in the ring. He has got zero skills."

binnie

06-27-2007, 07:43 AM

The Hatton camp responds, from Irelandonline, also on breakingnews.com

Hatton yearns to put Floyd on floor
27/06/2007 - 10:41:02

Ricky Hatton is “chomping at the bit” to begin negotiations over a superfight with Floyd Mayweather, according to his father Ray.

The likelihood of agreeing a showdown with Mayweather moved a step closer yesterday when the American’s adviser Leonard Ellerbe declared they wanted to sign a deal “as soon as possible”.

And Mayweather’s eagerness to shelve his retirement plans has been welcomed by Hatton, whose drawing power in the United States has soared following Saturday’s crushing four-round demolition of Jose Luis Castillo.

“We’re up for the fight, you’ve got to be up for a fight like that,” Ray Hatton told Radio Five Live.

“But it doesn’t always end with the two fighters, there tends to be a few people getting in between.

“Ricky is chomping at the bit. I’ve spoken to him a little bit before all this came out and he said it’s a no-brainer. It’s a definite yes.

“Ricky will fight him anywhere – that’s the difference between him and Floyd, who wants it on home turf.”

Mayweather, who defeated Oscar de la Hoya at light middleweight last month before announcing his retirement, is ready to step down a division in order to fight Hatton.

The chances of Hatton moving back up to welterweight following 12 uninspiring rounds against Luis Collazo last year appeared remote, but the 28-year-old Mancunian must compromise if he wants to face Mayweather.

Father Ray insists valuable lessons have been learned from the disappointing display against Collazo and a new approach to meeting the 147 lbs limit will be taken.

“Ricky would be prepared to come up a weight. The two camps would have to get their head around it but it’s not an obstacle, not for a fight of this magnitude,” he said.

“This time if we knew we were going up to 147 we’d do it differently, we wouldn’t have five weeks to go up to 147.

“We’d do it from day one of a 12-week training camp. Ideally you need longer to grow into the weight, as Floyd as has.

“We wouldn’t make the same mistake of bringing Ricky in too heavy. We would even sacrifice some of the weight so he can keep his speed.”

Brash-talking Mayweather has already started directing insults at Hatton, labelling him a “great phoney”, and Ray believes any contest would be clash of “good versus bad”.

“That’s typical Floyd Mayweather. He disrespects people in one breath and praises in another,” he said.

“It’s quite amusing because we know the game and we’ve heard it all before. It’s part of the hype and is good for boxing.

“You’ve got Mayweather who is the brash, cocky kid and then there’s Ricky Hatton, the kid next door who everyone likes. It’s good versus bad.

“Ricky thinks Floyd is a fantastic talent and pound for pound the best in the world.

“Ricky respects Floyd but told him that his four rounds against Castillo were more exciting than anything from the whole of Floyd’s career.

“It was tongue in cheek but all good stuff. Ricky has been baiting Floyd, but it’s tongue in cheek.”
RELATED URLS:-

ALinChainz

06-27-2007, 10:37 PM

Hatton's ONLY shot at a big fight.

Good vs bad?

*yawn*

DlocRoth

06-28-2007, 12:33 AM

A buddy of mine said the fight is ON.

In the fall.

binnie

06-28-2007, 03:32 AM

I suppose it'll all come down to the $$$$$.

I'm guessing that Floyd is going to take a lot of "persuading" to come out of "retirement"..lol...

Still rather see him against Cotto.

And there were some rumours that was going to face Mosely, but I can't see that happening, as last i heard Mosely was going to move up to 160lbs.....

binnie

06-28-2007, 04:09 AM

From latimes.com

Mayweather expected to fight Hatton
Money remains the big stumbling block to a Nov. 10 fight in Las Vegas.
By Steve Springer, Times Staff Writer
June 28, 2007

Floyd Mayweather Jr. is coming out of retirement, a less-than-stunning revelation that catches absolutely no one by surprise.

Coming off last month's victory over Oscar De La Hoya in the richest non-heavyweight fight ever, Mayweather has entered into negotiations with Ricky Hatton for a pay-per-view bout.

Tentative date: Nov. 10. Logical site: Las Vegas.

Biggest roadblock: Money.

Hatton, whose hometown is Manchester, England, is coming off his biggest triumph in America, a fourth-round knockout of Jose Luis Castillo last Saturday in Las Vegas to retain his International Boxing Organization junior-welterweight title. Hatton received $2.5 million for that match. Mayweather got approximately $15 million for the De La Hoya fight.

"If we can reach agreement on the money, there's no reason it can't happen," said Art Pelulo, Hatton's American promoter.

Another potential obstacle to a November match was cleared Wednesday when Ray Hatton, Ricky's father, and promoter Frank Warren reached a settlement of a libel suit that could have tied up the Hattons in an English courtroom into the fall.

Nobody took Mayweather seriously when he insisted he was going to walk away from boxing at 30, at the peak of his game, at a time when he is almost universally acclaimed the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

"What prompted [negotiations with Hatton] is, over the last couple of weeks, Ricky Hatton has been saying a lot about Floyd Mayweather," said Leonard Ellerbee, Mayweather's manager. "He's used Floyd's name to promote himself, and then he said … Saturday night that he had more excitement in four rounds than Floyd had in his career. To say that … is very disrespectful. Floyd heard him say that on HBO, and said, 'OK, be careful what you ask for.' He's calling Hatton's bluff, and now the whole world will see if this guy wants to fight and sign a contract now. … We can definitely make it happen this year. The ball's in their court."

Presumably Mayweather also heard that De La Hoya called Hatton after the fight to congratulate him. That might have spurred Mayweather to end his much-ridiculed retirement.

De La Hoya hasn't decided if he'll retire. But he said Monday, "Ricky Hatton and I could fill [England's] Wembley Stadium."

binnie

06-28-2007, 04:16 AM

According to this article, De La Hoya wants a piece of Hatton too. This is a really interesting read, could review of the fightm IMO. From foxsport.com

Hatton has big options ahead
Michael Katz
BoxingScene.com, Updated 6 hours ago STORY TOOLS:

print
send
blog LIKE THIS STORY?

Noted boxing writer, Michael Katz, recently joined BoxingScene.com and will regularly share his thoughts and insight.

It was only five weeks that I was AWOL from the 'Net, but in that time, obviously Jose Luis Castillo got very old.
Hasim Rahman and Antonio Tarver didn't look so fresh, either.

There will be an attempt to catch up some later on what happened while I was so rudely interrupted, for now, Topic A must be Castillo and the man who knocked him out with a liver shot just below the arm pit, Ricky Hatton.

Losers are usually more interesting, even without rising livers, but for this fight we should obviously concentrate on the Brit Man who will undoubtedly play a starring role in boxing's near future. The 43-0 (31 knockouts) Hatton, the first man to drop Castillo, immediately replaces Miguel Cotto as the hot flavor of the month.

Hatton may be a tough brawler inside the ring, but outside, he's a smooth operator. He says all the right things. He dedicated the bout to Castillo's late rival, Diego Corrales. He told the Mexican fans "I'm sorry I put it to one of your heroes" and asked them, since he fights like one of them, to give him their allegiance. After the fight in loud and raucous — but not sold-out — Thomas & Mack Arena, he was asked who's next.

He said he was up for battling Mr. Guiness, probably more rounds than he gave Castillo, after all, it's a "real smoooooth drink." He called out Floyd Mayweather Jr., whom he imitated on the way to the ring by wearing a large sombrero and his crew sporting the same kind of "I Love Mexico" shirts used by Pretty Boy on the way to his victory last month over Oscar de la Hoya. The flattery stopped as soon as the bout started — he's no Mayweather inside the ring. But the smoothie soon had the No. 1 pound-for-pounder quickly ready to end his "retirement" for the Mancurian candidate.

Hatton goaded the Pretty Boy rather neatly. He said it would be an "honor" to fight him, especially after a fourth-round stoppage of the man who gave Mayweather his two toughest fights, but added, "If I fought Mayweather, he'd run like Forrest Gump."

He said that his brief time with Castillo produced more excitement than all of Mayweather's fights. And, lo and behold, Tiny Tim Smith, my linear successor at both the New York Times and New York Daily News (but my predecessor at boxingscene.com), reported Sunday that Leonard Ellerbe, who has all along maintained Floyd's retirement was "real," was ready to sign contracts "now."

Was it just something Hatton had said? Or was it, perhaps, the fact that in his dressing room he received a congratulatory call from an even bigger possible opponent, Oscar de la Hoya? Suddenly, the Mayweather clan wants Hatton to take out the pen.

He's too smooth for that. If there is a chance of facing de la Hoya next year, Hatton probably will go on a four-corner attack. The supply of opponents that could fill the MEN Arena in Manchester is endless. Already, fighters from Joel Casamayor to Vivian Harris are calling him out. The winner, however, will probably be Paulie Malignaggi. As one Mayweather camper told me, "Hatton wants to fight at Madison Square Garden."

Malignaggi may not be an "elite" fighter, but he is a huge local attraction and New York is a hell of a better attraction than most American burgs for the wild Manchester fans who follow Hatton.

Many of my colleagues seem bemused by the group. Frankly, by the time the bell finally rang to start the highly anticipated match, I was rooting whole-heartedly for Castillo, though I was wise enough to not follow my instincts and take the almost 2-1 odds on him. Ian Darke, the genial British TV voice of boxing, cast a rather unflattering eye, or ear, on the full-throated chanters and muttered something about, "They're soccer fans."

Okay, they were having a good time, singing along to the five-piece brass band that sat in their midst, singing the British national anthem and other ditties through the tedious Art Pelullo undercard.

It seemed like something else when the Brits booed the Mexican flag, the Mexican anthem and, finally, the "Star-Spangled Banner." Sore losers. Mind you, I was the first kid on my block to get married in Birmingham, which makes my daughter half-English.

(The worst though was when Pelullo's favorite ring announcer, preceding the great Michael Buffer, introduced the singers of the three national anthems. When it came to the singer from Sheffield, announcer Mike Williams said, "Here to sing the world's greatest national anthem..." Surprisingly, she did "God Save the Queen" and not the "Marseilles.")

The question of the day was just how much of Hatton's dominant performance was Hatton and how much was the faded Castillo. I was not among the many who thought El Terrible would show up empty, excusing last January's struggles with Herman Ngoudjo as just another rust-ridden, unenthusiastic performance thrown in by good fighters who still somehow manage to win on off-nights. I thought his aggressive counter-punching style would give Hatton trouble.

Even at first, when Castillo seemed to be on rather shaky legs, stumbling around the ring, seemingly no match physically for the bigger and yet quicker Englishman, I did not jump to the obviously correct conclusion that he was terrible, not El Terrible. He was often a slow starter and I was willing to give him time to sort things out. In the third round, he seemed to be coming on — he would later say "the fight was getting more interesting" — landing a couple of nice uppercuts that momentarily backed up Hatton. At the end of the third, I marked "close, close round" in my notebook and, like two of the judges, scored it for Hatton (the capable Duane Ford gave the round to Castillo).

But in the fourth, well before Referee Joe Cortez (who had another bad night) undeservedly took a point from Castillo for allegedly low blows, well before the left hook that would end it, Hatton had already shown he could make adjustments. I don't know what trainer Billy Graham told him between rounds, but Hatton showed much more agility on his feet to start the fourth and, giving himself lovely angles from which to punch, took complete control.

Then came the shot to the high liver. Maybe it was to the ribs, maybe it was Castillo saying to himself, "What's the point of going on, I have no chance against this tiger?" He spun around, went to one knee and listened to Cortez count.

"He got me good," he would say in the ring afterwards. "It was a perfect shot. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't get up. It was a good shot."

His promoter, Bob Arum, said he hoped Castillo would retire and again blamed the state of Nevada and its athletic commission for sounding "the death knell" by suspending the Mexican for a year and fining him $250,000 for showing up overweight a second time for a match with Corrales.

"You can't take a fighter his age and lay him off that long," said Arum, quite reasonably.

Castillo, it now seems clear, was an "old" 33. He had been boxing pro since the age of 16 after starting as an amateur at age 12. He fought some of the best — beating Stevie Johnston, Cesar Bazan, Joel Casamayor, Julio Diaz, Juan Lazcano and, of course, the fourth-rounjd KO of Corrales in their rematch. Then there were the 24 rounds with Mayweather, the closest Pretty Boy has come to losing.

And let us not forget the four years of grueling work as the chief sparring partner for Julio Cesar Chavez. Yes, he was ready to get old overnight.

"I thought the wars with Diego took a lot out of him," said Gary Shaw, Corrales' last promoter. "I also believe he'd had trouble making 140. Maybe he should give 147 try."

Maybe not. Even Shaw conceded that there was a reasonable argument that Castillo was past it.

"Hatton is wide open for uppercuts and a good stiff jab," said the promoter. "Hatton has a lot of openings, he probably saw them but couldn't pull the trigger."

Then there was the thought, also not unreasonable, that Castillo just quit, much like Kostya Tszyu, the other big name on Hatton's resume. When a fighter reaches the end, sometimes discretion takes over. There was Alexis Arguello, sitting on his haunches, his arms wrapped around his knees, as they counted him out in his second try at Aaron Pryor. He gave it his best shot, right on Pryor's granite chin, and finally realized the futility of persevering.

Castillo, it is argued, had little incentive to get up because he was not going to take home much of his $500,000 purse. Bollocks, as the Brits would say. Yes he needs the money after Nevada's "Draconian" — as Arum called the punishment — $250,000 fine. Getting up was the ONLY way he'd ever be able to earn back that kind of money in boxing.

There was a story going round that all he was going to take home was $41,700, another that Shaw had attached a lien to his purse because of his suit against Castillo for damages when he didn't come close to making weight for the aborted rubber match with Corrales.

Well, $100,000 was deducted to pay Arum back for taking care of the fine. But last week, Castillo received an advance of $125,000 — which must be added to his take — the $183,000 deduction from the IRS could be lowered after the accountants get through. Plus, there'll be $25,000 if he passes his post-fight urine test. That raises his take to at least $182,000. And remember, it's his own fault for the way he handled his inability to make 135 pounds twice against Chico, insisting all along he was on weight when he wasn't.

Anyway, Shaw said he wasn't the one who tried to get Castillo's purse attached but Corrales's widow, Michele, and possibly her good friend, Jin (Mrs. Sugar) Mosley. Shaw said when he heard Castillo would be getting maybe ONLY $130,000, "I couldn't do that (ask for a lien) — I've got to sleep with myself." On that straight line...

binnie

06-28-2007, 07:26 AM

Anthony Mundine retained his WBA super-middleweight belt last night and wants Kessler or Calzaghe. Much as I like watching him, I think he's living in a dream-world, as Kessler's already beaten his ass once.

From the Sydney Morning Herald

Briggs doubts whether Mundine believes he can beat the best
Email Print Normal font Large font June 28, 2007 - 1:17PM

Advertisement
AdvertisementAustralia's world-ranked light heavyweight Paul Briggs has questioned whether Anthony Mundine has the self-belief to defeat champion international boxers Mikkel Kessler or Joe Calzaghe.

Mundine earned a unanimous points decision over tough Argentinian Pablo Zamora Nievas to retain his WBA world super middleweight title on the Gold Coast last night.

In the lead-up to the fight, former rugby league star Mundine spoke confidently about challenging WBO titleholder Calzaghe or undefeated WBC and WBA champion Kessler in a "super fight".

But Briggs told AAP today he doubted whether Mundine, 32, really believed he could beat Denmark's Kessler or Welshman Calzaghe after struggling to put away a courageous Nievas over 12 rounds last night.

"Anthony will talk it up but the reality of the situation is completely different to what he thinks in his head," said Briggs, who watched the bout in his role as a pay TV commentator.

"It'd be great to see him fight like this against the elite guys because I truly think he's got the goods to be able to beat them but does he believe that?

"He's got the skills and he can do it but every time he's really stepped up to the elite guys he's got beaten.

"He talks about never getting beaten again and that's great. It's easy to carry on when you're fighting blokes like he fought last night."

Mundine used his lightning jab and evasive skills in the ring to wear down Nievas, who had never previously gone beyond six rounds.

"It was a frustrating fight in the sense that he (Mundine) couldn't put the guy away and they're the fights that you learn from," Briggs remarked.

"It's only going to do him benefit and no harm at all."

Mundine last night described Nievas as "definitely the toughest fighter I've fought in my career".

"It goes to show these so-called experts, they don't know shit," added Mundine, who improved his record to 29-3 (22KO).

"They don't know nothing about the real professional elite stage of sport."

Despite straining a right biceps muscle early in the fight, Mundine was able to outclass his plucky opponent, who was at long odds of $10 to cause an upset.

"I won pretty much every round and I proved I'm one of the superior fighters in the world and I'm only going to get better," boasted Mundine.

"My jab is the key. I'm super quick."

binnie

06-28-2007, 09:10 AM

Hatton camp makes a $10million offer to Mayweather

From sportinglife.com

HOBSON MAKES OFFER TO MAYWEATHER
E-mail Article Print-Friendly Subscribe to RSS Feed
Post to del.icio.us

By Mark Staniforth, PA Sport

Ricky Hatton's promoter Dennis Hobson has upped the stakes in his bid to secure a super-fight with Floyd Mayweather by offering the American $10million to come to Britain.

Hobson is convinced he can put together an offer to tempt the 'Pretty Boy' to come out of his short retirement to fight Hatton in the first big fight at the new Wembley Stadium.

Mayweather has already said he would be willing to come back to fight Hatton, who looked hugely impressive in his fourth-round stoppage of Jose Luis Castillo in Las Vegas last weekend.

Hobson said: "I've offered Floyd $10million to come to Britain and find out who is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

"Mayweather is saying he wants to put pen to paper and this is his big chance to do so. It is a very substantial offer so if Mayweather is serious it is there for him to agree.

"I have already spoken to some of his people and they have been very receptive. Now I am just waiting for them call back and indicate their level of interest."

Hobson insists the expected huge attendance figures could bankroll the fight, for which Hatton would expect a similar-sized purse.

He added: "There is no reason we can't do it over here. We would be happy to align it with pay-per-view time in the States so it could suit both sides of the Atlantic."

Hobson, who is currently negotiating with Hatton to extend his own promotional contract, has revealed he has also been in talks with representatives of IBF light-welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi.

Hobson added: "Talks with Malignaggi's camp have been encouraging but that is definitely a Madison Square Garden fight. Ideally we would like to get the next one secured in this country for Ricky."

binnie

06-28-2007, 09:11 AM

Hobson is delusional if he thinks Hatton is in the running for pound ofr pound fighter, top ten maybe.

At Wembley Stadium, which seats 120,000+, that would be an incredible event.

ALinChainz

06-28-2007, 10:57 AM

I'd bet the farm Floyd won't fight in Britain and be subject to those judges.

Hatton makes all this noise about making big fights here in the states, and then tries this.

binnie

06-28-2007, 11:26 AM

Yeah I thought that too, but they want to put it at a time to coinicde with American PPV.

I suppose they're going for Wembley because of the seating capacity, which perhaps they need to generate the $10 million dollars? That's a complete guess.

No, I can't see Floyd coming to England either; although only one of the three judges would probably be British, with the other two been American.

The reason I don't see him travelling is because Hatton needs him, not the other way around.

Personlly, I think a Hatton-De La Hoya fight is much more likely to happen....

binnie

06-29-2007, 03:45 AM

July 7th: Vlad Klitscho vs Lamont Brewster.

Now Brewster beat him in 2004 (maybe 2005) with a TKO right? Having said, that Vlad has to be the favourite.

It's better for boxing is an American gets the belt (especially since Shannon Briggs has lost his), but I just don't see it happening....

Thoughts?

ALinChainz

06-29-2007, 11:51 PM

Nope. Klitschko with Manny Steward in his corner has been much improved. Brewster is a journeyman, has a nice punch but he's not elite.

Puncher's chance, no more ...

ALinChainz

06-29-2007, 11:53 PM

June 29, 2007

MARSEILLE, FRANCE (TICKER) -- Wladimir Sidorenko would not settle for a draw this time.

Making his fifth defense of his WBA bantamweight title, Sidorenko scored a seventh-round knockout of local product Jerome Arnould to retain his crown at the Palais des Sports on Friday.

Since winning a unanimous decision against Julio Zarate for the vacant belt on February 26, 2005, the 30-year-old Sidorenko (20-0-2, 7 KOs) has held on to the title despite battling to draws in two of his previous three fights. But on Friday, the Ukrainian was too much for Arnould (14-3-1), knocking down the challenger in the fifth round before finishing him off two rounds later.

With the impressive performance, the 5-4 champion handed the 22-year-old Arnould his first defeat in eight bouts. The Frenchman had not lost since December 16, 2005, when he was outpointed by Algerian Cherif Saki in a six-round tussle.

Arnould took on Saki in a rematch in May 2006 but was forced to settle for a draw.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=txsidorenkoarnould& ;prov=st&type=lgns

ALinChainz

06-29-2007, 11:54 PM

Pacquiao vs. Barrera rematch on after dispute ends

June 29, 2007

LOS ANGELES (TICKER) -- Manny Pacquiao and Marco Antonio Barrera will fight in Las Vegas on October 6 after a settlement was reached on Friday between two of boxing's most influential promotional companies.

Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank have agreed to settle various legal disputes, including one involving Pacquiao.

That paves the way for the rematch to take place at Mandalay Bay. Pacquiao won the first meeting, Barrera's corner throwing in the towel in the 11th round.

ALinChainz

06-30-2007, 12:01 AM

June 29, 2007 (http://sports.yahoo.com/box/leaguepage/champs;_ylt=AhBSwwqvEFJU9AvwiEtYb.SixLYF?prov=st&type=lgns)

ALinChainz

06-30-2007, 09:59 PM

Sturm retains WBA middleweight belt

June 30, 2007

STUTTGART, GERMANY (TICKER) -- Felix Sturm put an end to Noe Tulio Gonzalez Alcoba's dream of an undefeated career.

Sturm retained his WBA middleweight title Saturday, recording a unanimous decision over the previously unbeaten Alcoba at the Porsche Arena.

Entering with seven knockouts in his first 14 professional fights - all victories - Alcoba (14-1) was unable to outbox the German champion in his first shot at a major championship. The 28-year-old native of Uruguay lost each of the three judges' scorecards - 116-112, 120-108 and 118-110.

It was the first successful defense for Sturm (28-2, 12 KOs) in his second term as the WBA champion. The 28-year-old won the belt on April 28 from Javier Castillejo, who scored a technical knockout of Sturm on July 15, 2006 to end his first stint with the crown.

Sturm next is scheduled to make a mandatory defense of the belt against Randy Griffin on a date yet to be determined.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=txsturmalcoba&prov=st&type=lgns

ALinChainz

07-01-2007, 11:08 AM

Holyfield takes Savarese in 10-round decision

By ALICIA A. CALDWELL, Associated Press Writer

July 1, 2007

EL PASO, Texas (AP) -- Evander Holyfield outworked and outclassed Lou Savarese on Saturday night, winning a 10-round unanimous decision to remain undefeated in his latest comeback.

Holyfield, the 44-year-old former heavyweight champion, started and ended the fight with a hard left to the head of the 41-year-old Savarese. In between, Holyfield was in control.

The judges scored it 98-90, 99-87 and 96-91.

Savarese, a former title contender himself, held his own for the first eight rounds before being knocked off his feet with a hard left to the chin.

Holyfield (42-8-2) knocked Savarese (46-7) to the mat again in the 10th, with Savarese looking as though he was hoping to just stay upright.

Holyfield came in weighing 219 pounds, giving Savarese a 23-pound advantage that wasn't all that tough to overcome.

"Lou hurt me with an upper cut (in the third)...but I got away from the next one," Holyfield said after the fight.

That was about the only stunning shot for Savarese, who himself had been on the comeback trail.

Holyfield said after a quick try at fighting the taller Savarese on the inside, he moved to the outside and did his best to land some quick, hard left jabs.

Savarese did a good job of dodging second hits, Holyfield said.

Savarese, looking swollen and battered, said that the fight was his last.

"I fought hard," he said. "I gave it my all."

It was Holyfield's fourth bout since returning to boxing after a two-year layoff. His goal is to win an unprecedented fifth heavyweight title and unify the belts in the messy division before retiring for good.

Saturday's result was a big step toward possibly getting another crack at one of the many fighters holding a heavyweight championship belt.

For his part, Holyfield said he believes a title shot will be next.

"I will be the five-time undisputed heavyweight champion of the world," Holyfield said.

Holyfield last held the undisputed championship after a 1990 win against James "Buster" Douglas.

Holyfield started his comeback in Texas last year. Despite his wins, Holyfield is just three years removed from losing his license to fight in New York, where boxing officials cited diminished skills shortly after losing an ugly 12-round decision Larry Donald.

Holyfield's professional career dates to 1984, and he's hoping to become the oldest heavyweight champion ever, surpassing George Foreman's record.

Story (http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=ap-holyfield-savarese&prov=ap&type=lgns)

ALinChainz

07-01-2007, 06:01 PM

Japan's Sakata wins WBA flyweight title

July 1, 2007

TOKYO (AP) -- Takefumi Sakata of Japan won the WBA flyweight title Sunday with a unanimous decision over Roberto Vasquez.

Sakata used a barrage of punches to the head in the late rounds and was never seriously challenged in the 12-round bout at Ariake Colosseum. The three judges scored the fight 115-113, 116-112 and 116-112.

Sakata improved to 31-4-1 with 15 KOs. Vasquez dropped to 24-2 with 17 KOs.

Sakata and Vasquez fought last December in France when the Panamanian won a split decision with the WBA interim flyweight title at stake because champion Lorenzo Parra was injured. In March, Parra lost by TKO against Sakata, who became the flyweight champion with the obligation to face Vasquez.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=ap-sakata-vasquez& prov=ap&type=lgns

binnie

07-02-2007, 03:31 AM

Seems to me that in the current heavyweight climate, Holyfield might actually win a title.

He's been much better since they sorted his shoulder out so that he could actually move his head...lol!

With the lack of heavyweight talent about, he just might do it.

binnie

07-02-2007, 03:35 AM

Originally posted by ALinChainz
Pacquiao vs. Barrera rematch on after dispute ends

June 29, 2007

LOS ANGELES (TICKER) -- Manny Pacquiao and Marco Antonio Barrera will fight in Las Vegas on October 6 after a settlement was reached on Friday between two of boxing's most influential promotional companies.

Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank have agreed to settle various legal disputes, including one involving Pacquiao.

That paves the way for the rematch to take place at Mandalay Bay. Pacquiao won the first meeting, Barrera's corner throwing in the towel in the 11th round.

barrera is one of my favourite fighters, and he has had a hell of a career and always fought the best fighters, which we all know is rare these days.

I thought he was unlucky not to get the decision with Marques, and a rematch would have been great.

If a FOCUSSED Pacquiao gets into the ring, this will probably be quite one-sided, as Manny is a demon when he brings his game; he can toast anyone at that weight at the moment.

But if we see some Barrera magic, then we could have another war on our hands.

Looking forward to it

binnie

07-02-2007, 03:36 AM

Originally posted by ALinChainz
Sturm retains WBA middleweight belt

June 30, 2007

STUTTGART, GERMANY (TICKER) -- Felix Sturm put an end to Noe Tulio Gonzalez Alcoba's dream of an undefeated career.

Sturm retained his WBA middleweight title Saturday, recording a unanimous decision over the previously unbeaten Alcoba at the Porsche Arena.

Entering with seven knockouts in his first 14 professional fights - all victories - Alcoba (14-1) was unable to outbox the German champion in his first shot at a major championship. The 28-year-old native of Uruguay lost each of the three judges' scorecards - 116-112, 120-108 and 118-110.

It was the first successful defense for Sturm (28-2, 12 KOs) in his second term as the WBA champion. The 28-year-old won the belt on April 28 from Javier Castillejo, who scored a technical knockout of Sturm on July 15, 2006 to end his first stint with the crown.

Sturm next is scheduled to make a mandatory defense of the belt against Randy Griffin on a date yet to be determined.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=txsturmalcoba&prov=st&type=lgns

Sturm vs Jermain Taylor would be a good fight, IMO...

ALinChainz

07-02-2007, 11:17 AM

I would like to see Strum fight Taylor as well.

My biggest bitch about boxing is they need to shitcan all of these federations and belts.

We need unification. I can see WBA and the WBC, and not too crazy about that.

This is why I like fights about Calzaghe and Kessler, at least fights like that are a step in the right direction.

binnie

07-02-2007, 11:57 AM

Originally posted by ALinChainz

This is why I like fights about Calzaghe and Kessler, at least fights like that are a step in the right direction.

Me too. The reason that boxing isn't as populsr anymore is becuase the top guys very rarely fight one another.

If Kessler-Calzaghe happens it will be good for the sport.

binnie

07-05-2007, 04:37 AM

From newsday.com

It's best not to fight Holyfield on boxing
July 5, 2007

Logic hasn't worked, nor have legislation, ridicule and widespread apathy for the sport he once dominated and the division he once ruled.

There seems to be only one way left to save Evander Holyfield from himself: Give him what he wants.

Conventional wisdom used to say that to grant Holyfield yet another shot at the heavyweight title he already has held four times would be the equivalent of state-sanctioned murder.

Now it looks more like a public service.

Give Holyfield what he wants and maybe he'll go away once and for all.

'It's very simple," he said yesterday from his home in Atlanta, where he was entertaining 7,000 underprivileged kids at his annual Fourth of July barbecue. 'Just let me do what I want to do, because I'm going to do it anyway."

He might even go away happy. Absurd as it may seem, he could very well win the damned thing again, even at 44 years old and precisely a decade removed from the last time he really looked like a fearsome fighting machine.

Holyfield won another fight Saturday, to the delight of himself and the consternation of those who would try to protect him from same, and now more than ever, there seems to be no stopping this impossibly stubborn, incredibly gifted man.

The opponent was only Lou Savarese, who wasn't much at 25 and is a lot less now at 41. He was easy pickings for Holyfield, but that is not the point. In the ninth round of the fight, Holyfield's 44-year-old body contrived to deliver a left hook as short as Dick Cheney's temper. Down went Savarese.

Holyfield hasn't thrown a punch like that in 10 years, probably, and no heavyweight currently working has thrown one remotely like it in his entire career. It didn't end the fight - Savarese gamely climbed back up and survived to lose a lopsided 10-round decision - but it should at least end the whispers that there is something wrong, physically or neurologically, with Evander Holyfield.

And believe me, if Holyfield lands that same left hook on any of the four men currently calling themselves "champ" - even Wladimir Klitschko, the generally recognized best of the lot - the same thing will happen.

There simply is no more reason to deny Holyfield his due. He has won four straight fights, over opposition ranging from poor to mediocre, since the New York State Athletic Commission, amid great fanfare, pulled his license for the crime of being outboxed by Larry Donald at Madison Square Garden. (Incidentally, NYSAC lifted that suspension last year, quieter than they imposed it.)

Believe it or not, those credentials match up favorably with just about any heavyweight currently in line for a title shot, including Lamon Brewster, who is fighting Klitschko this Saturday night in Koln, Germany. They certainly overmatch those of Ray Austin, Klitschko's last challenger, a career sparring partner who couldn't last two rounds, or Calvin Brock, the so-called "Boxing Banker," who cashed a paycheck against Klitschko at the Garden in November.

You may think that says bad things about boxing, but really, it says great things about Holyfield. His persistence has paid off, as has surgery on his chronically injured left shoulder, which he said all along was at the root of his problems the past few years. Maybe he was telling us the truth.

Right now, the names of the heavyweight champions are Klitschko, Ibragimov, Chagaev and Maskaev, and you don't have to still be fighting the Cold War to know that is not helping the popularity of the sport.

Holyfield versus any of them would immediately put heavyweight boxing back in the game, and Holyfield-Klitschko probably is the biggest fight boxing can make right now. (Honestly, which would you rather see, that or Floyd Mayweather-Ricky Hatton?)

Yeah, he's too old, and no, no one with that much money should be fighting anymore, but you know what? He's determined to do it, he has the legal right to do it and now he has even shown he has the ability to do it.

And besides, he is seven months younger than George Foreman was when he finally was granted, after much hand-wringing, a title shot against the 20-years-younger Michael Moorer. And we all know how that turned out.

There's only one thing left to do, and it is the right thing: Let Evander Holyfield do what he wants. Fight for the title one more time.

Besides, it looks like the only sure way we'll ever get him to stop.

binnie

07-05-2007, 04:41 AM

Brewster is confident.

From indystar.com

COLOGNE, Germany -- Considering the usual hype before a heavyweight title fight, Wladimir Klitschko and Lamon Brewster talked about their rematch in measured tones, showing plenty of respect for each other.

Klitschko will defend his International Boxing Federation title Saturday at Cologne Arena.
The topic of poisoning was brushed off by Klitschko, who raised suspicions of being poisoned by Brewster's camp after the Ukrainian lost to him on a technical knockout in their first fight in April 2004.
"I am not thinking of the past, there are no parallels between the two fights," Klitschko said at Monday's news conference.
Brewster, an Indianapolis native, didn't want to dwell on the subject.
"Between the two of us, he knows and I know that I didn't poison him," Brewster said. "I was the better fighter that night."
Brewster was saved by the bell after being knocked down in the fourth round of that fight, then floored Klitschko twice in the fifth to stop the fight.
Klitschko (48-3 with 43 knockouts) won the IBF title by stopping Chris Byrd in April 2006. He has defeated Calvin Brock and Ray Austin in his past two defenses.
Brewster (33-3, 29 KOs) upset Klitschko in Las Vegas in 2004, capturing the World Boxing Organization title. The American defended it three times, beating Kali Meehan, Andrew Golota and Luan Krasniqi, but lost in April 2006 on a unanimous decision to Sergei Liakhovich.
"I don't have many words to say today. I want to thank Wladimir for accepting this challenge. Not many fighters want to fight me," Brewster said.
Both boxers said they were in great shape.
"I've waited more than three years for this fight to happen," Klitschko said.
Emanuel Steward, Klitschko's trainer, said his boxer was in his "prime."
"We are not underestimating Brewster," Steward said. "He is an old-school fighter. He is a serious fighter, he punches with both hands. These are the two best punchers in the heavyweight division. We'll have to be careful until the end. But Wladimir is in his prime and no fighter can beat him."
Brewster's trainer, James "Buddy" McGirt, said Klitschko showed he was a "true champion" by taking on Brewster.
"My prediction is that Brewster will regain the title," McGirt said. "These are the two best fighters in the world and we are going home with the championship."

binnie

07-05-2007, 04:42 AM

Klitschko wins by stopage, rounds 8-10.

That's how I see it....

binnie

07-05-2007, 08:34 AM

Roy Jones talks about boxing needing to have the best guys fighting each other (obviously forgetting his light-heavyweight career!).

From newsday

Robert Cassidy
BOXING

Toe-to-toe with Roy Jones Jr.

Roy Jones Jr., the former four-division champion, returns to the ring July 14 against Anthony Hanshaw (21-0). Jones (50-4) spoke to Newsday about various types of fighting - boxing, mixed martial arts and dog fighting.

Q. Roy, at the age of 38 why still fight? You've accomplished so much, what more can you do?

A. I just want to go back to back to the top of the pound-for-pound class one more time and I'll be happy. I'll get the belts. I'll be satisfied, then I'm gone.

Q. Who in your weight range can you beat to put you back at the top, someone like Bernard Hopkins?

A. No. I'm not thinking about him. I want Glenn Johnson.

Q. Who do you feel is at the top of the pound-for-pound list right now?

A. Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Q. What about his fight with Oscar de la Hoya? People felt that was the fight to save boxing. Were you disappointed in the fight?

A. It was okay. It was an average fight. It wasn't the major fight that we expected it to be. But he did his job. They expected that explosion and that explosion never happened. I didn't go to the fight, I didn't watch the fight because I knew what was going to happen. I was expecting what happened to happen. You can never tell. Whoever thought the first Arturo Gatti-Micky Ward fight was going to turn out to be what it was.

Q. What are your thoughts on UFC?

A. I watch it all the time. They have the best fighters fighting the best fighters and that's what boxing needs. You never can tell what will happen in a fight. Look at the last [Chuck] Liddell fight. Bam, 10 seconds it was over. They got that explosion they were waiting for. Boxing didn't get the same explosion out of Mayweather-De La Hoya.

Q. Do you think UFC will put boxing out of business?

A. No I don't think it will. UFC is a great thing, but boxing has to get on its game. UFC is the best fighting the best and that what boxing has to do. If you are an ultimate fighter, you are going to fight someone who is going to fight. In UFC, if you lose to a good fighter, you lost, you still know you are good fighter, and you come back the next day and fight again. In boxing, if you lose, that's it. You are done. I lose a few fights they want to tell me I'm washed up and I don't have it no more. The last fight I fought a worthy contender, but that wasn't good enough.

Q. Who would win between you and a UFC fighter?

A. It all depends on who gets there first. Now, I can't get on the ground and start wresting because I know nothing about that. But if I hit him before he gets to the ground, he's not going to get up and have the chance to wrestle.

Q. What do you think about Michael Vick and the dog-fighting allegations that are swirling around him?

A. People tend to talk so hard against people. They make it such a bad thing, like dog fighting is worse than killing someone. I'm not a dog fighter. I've never been to a dog fight. But just because they have the animals doesn't mean they are fighting the animals. Michael Vick doesn't have that kind of time to train and raise dogs... I like bulldogs and I like their mentally. They are making this so bad, but really two dogs fighting can happen in anyone's backyard or on the street. It happened in my backyard, two of my dogs fought and one died. I was devastated because I love dogs. Fighting animals don't necessarily get mistreated. They get treated just the way I get treated. They train me, they feed me; if I lose, I lose, and when I get in the ring, there is that chance I could get killed.

Q. You've always raised animals, haven't you?

A. I've raised dogs and I've raised game chickens, but I don't raise them for fighting. I just love them, I love their demeanor. But I can't stand to see them hurt. It used to be that you could drive to Louisiana and fight chickens. But they passed a law and that's illegal now.

Q. What do you know about your opponent Anthony Hanshaw?

A. I know he's undefeated, that's all I need to know. He's a good, well-rounded boxer. This is a challenge for me.

binnie

07-05-2007, 08:35 AM

Wonder why he doesn't want to fight Bernard Hopkins?

Although he's living in a dream land if he thinks he's ever going to top the pound for pound prize again, he makes so good points in that article....

ALinChainz

07-05-2007, 11:05 PM

Glen Johnson madde him look real bad, knocking him out in a more dominating fashion than Tarver did. Johnson went on to be fighter of the year beating the two of them.

Johnson has done little since.

binnie

07-06-2007, 03:09 AM

Johnson was in a great fight with Clinton Woods and lost a close decision (Woods is a fairly decent fighter these days).

Maybe Roy thinks he can beat him now...

ALinChainz

07-07-2007, 05:55 PM

Condes captures IBF strawweight title

July 7, 2007

JAKARTA, INDONESIA (TICKER) -- Muhammad Rachman's unbeaten streak is over. More importantly, so is his reign as IBF strawweight champion.

Entering without a loss in 41 consecutive bouts, Rachman was knocked down twice as Florante Condes posted a split-decision victory to capture the strawweight title Saturday at the Indoor Tennis Stadium.

Since being beaten on points by Meky Mbatu on April 30, 1998, Rachman had gone 38-0-3, taking the IBF belt from Daniel Reyes along the way. The 35-year-old defended the title three times before running into Condes, who also entered the fight with a modest winning streak of nine.

The pair engaged in a fierce battle, with Rachman (61-6-5) hitting the canvas in both the third and 10th rounds. That proved to be all the 27-year-old Condes (22-3-1, 20 KOs) needed, as he received a favorable 114-112 score on two of the judges' scorecards.

Fighting in his native country, Rachman was given a 117-113 advantage by the third judge. But it was not enough to prevent Condes from winning the first major title of his career.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=txrachmancondes&prov=st&type=lgns

ALinChainz

07-07-2007, 05:59 PM

Just watched Vladimir Klitschko dominate Brewster.

Won every round, McGirt simply stopped the fight after round 6 because Brewster wasn't doing anything and COULDN'T do anything.

ALinChainz

07-08-2007, 12:20 PM

July 8, 2007

BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT (TICKER) -- Travis Simms had the home crowd behind him. But it was not enough to keep him unbeaten.

Joachim Alcine scored a unanimous decision over Simms to win the WBA light middleweight title Saturday night at the Harbour Yard Arena.

A native of Norwalk, Simms (25-1) was ineffective against Alcine in a bout that saw both fighters have points deducted for excessive clinching. The 36-year-old southpaw, who was making his third defense of the WBA belt since winning it from Alejandro Garcia on December 13, 2003, was knocked off-balance in the ninth and ruled to be down when his glove touched the canvas.

"I hurt my left hand in the third round and the knockdown they called on me was a slip," Simms said. "I thought I did enough to win the fight, but the judges saw it another way. I had an off-night. Hopefully, I can redeem myself in a rematch."

Alcine (29-0, 18 KOs) received scores of 114-111, 115-110 and 116-109 en route to his first major championship. It was the first bout in the United States since May 2003 for the 31-year-old Haitian, whose previous 12 fights took place in Canada.

"It wasn't the best of me that people saw tonight because of Simms' awkwardness," Alcine said. "I felt after the first few rounds, I was behind, so I picked it up as the rounds went on. Now I know I'm good enough to fight anyone in the division."

Another champion lost his crown Saturday as IBF flyweight titleholder Vic Darchinyan was knocked out by Nonito Donaire in the fifth round of their bout.

Previously unbeaten, Darchinyan (28-1) was outboxed from the start and was tagged by a left hook 38 seconds into the fifth that left him on the mat for several minutes. The 31-year-old Armenian southpaw was making his seventh title defense.

"I'm very disappointed," Darchinyan said. "He caught me with a very good shot. I'll be back. I definitely want a rematch. I was trying to load up too much."

Donaire (18-1, 11 KOs) won for the 17th consecutive time. With the victory, the 24-year-old native of the Philippines avenged the loss of his brother Glenn, who had his jaw broken by Darchinyan in their bout last October.

"I came here as the underdog," Donaire said. "Nobody believed in me, but I did it. ... I think the key for me in tonight's fight was, every time Darchinyan threw and landed, I punched back, and tha got him thinking. It took the bully out of him."

Luis Alberto Perez was the third new champion crowned as he scored a seventh-round knockout of Genaro Garcia for the vacant IBF bantamweight belt.

Vying for his 10th straight win, Perez (25-1, 16 KOs) knocked down Garcia in the second before ending the bout with a left hook 39 seconds into the seventh. The 29-year-old Nicaraguan southpaw has not lost since falling to Vernie Torres on September 7, 2000.

"Garcia was very strong," Perez said. "He gave me an excellent challenge. I think I won all the rounds. From the beginning, I could tell I had a reach advantage, so I used it."

The loss was the second in a row for the 29-year-old Garcia (35-6), who also dropped a bout for the WBC bantamweight title against Hozumi Hasegawa on November 13.

"(Perez) had a lot of stamina," Garcia said. "That made it very difficult for me. Perez made the most of his reach advantage. I did the best I could."

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=txsimmsalcine&prov =st&type=lgns

ALinChainz

07-10-2007, 10:31 AM

Report: Taylor to move up to super middleweight

July 10, 2007

LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS (TICKER) -- Jermain Taylor will reportedly move up from middleweight to super middleweight following his proposed fight with No. 1 contender Kelly Pavlik according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's web site.

Taylor, who is very close to signing a deal to fight Pavlik at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City on September 29, said that the WBC and WBO title fight will be his last as a middleweight, which has a limit of 160 pounds.

Taylor, even if he makes his fifth consecutive successful title defense against Pavlik, will vacate his championship belts and begin a new title quest in the 168-pound super middleweight division, according to the report.

A change in class would force Taylor to vacate his titles.

ALinChainz

07-11-2007, 04:10 PM

Calzaghe signs up for Kessler superfight

July 11, 2007

LONDON (Ticker) - Joe Calzaghe's superfight against Mikkel Kessler will take place on November 3, it was announced Wednesday.

WBO super-middleweight champion Calzaghe will meet the Dane, who holds the WBA and WBC versions of the belt, at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, in a unification clash between the two unbeaten fighters.

"This is the biggest fight in the world at the moment," promoter Frank Warren said. "Both Joe and Mikkel are at the top of their game."

The 35-year-old Calzaghe, who sealed his reputation as one of the best fighters in the world with a 12-round rout of Jeff Lacy in March last year, had hoped to meet Jermain Taylor next.

The American middleweight king priced himself out a fight, forcing Calzaghe to look elsewhere.

Kessler is a lucrative alternative. The 28-year-old has an impressive 39 victories on his record, 29 coming inside the distance.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=txcalzaghekessler&prov=st&type=lgns

binnie

07-14-2007, 07:21 PM

Originally posted by ALinChainz
Calzaghe signs up for Kessler superfight

July 11, 2007

LONDON (Ticker) - Joe Calzaghe's superfight against Mikkel Kessler will take place on November 3, it was announced Wednesday.

WBO super-middleweight champion Calzaghe will meet the Dane, who holds the WBA and WBC versions of the belt, at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, in a unification clash between the two unbeaten fighters.

"This is the biggest fight in the world at the moment," promoter Frank Warren said. "Both Joe and Mikkel are at the top of their game."

The 35-year-old Calzaghe, who sealed his reputation as one of the best fighters in the world with a 12-round rout of Jeff Lacy in March last year, had hoped to meet Jermain Taylor next.

The American middleweight king priced himself out a fight, forcing Calzaghe to look elsewhere.

Kessler is a lucrative alternative. The 28-year-old has an impressive 39 victories on his record, 29 coming inside the distance.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=txcalzaghekessler&prov=st&type=lgns

I can't wait for this fight, it should be a stormer and is good for the sport.

I saw the Klitscho-Brewster fight too, Brewster might as well have not shown up, he did nothing worthwhile.

The heavyweights at the moment are pityful. Holyfield may actually win one of the "world" belts given the level of opposition out there...

ALinChainz

07-14-2007, 10:18 PM

Luevano clinches WBO featherweight title

AFP

July 14, 2007

LONDON (AFP) - America's Steven Luevano sent England's Nicky Cook to the canvas five times on the way to winning the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) featherweight title at the O2 Arena in London on Saturday.

Luevano claimed the vacant title with a dominant display against Cook, who first visited the canvas in the second round after being caught by a left to the temple.

That was Cook's first knockdown in his professional career and he struggled to then claw his way back into contention against 26-year-old Luevano.

Cook was dropped twice by lefts to the body in the ninth round and a right to the head put him down again at the end of the tenth.

But 29 seconds into the 11th and another left to the body left him bent over on his knees in agony as the referee counted him out for the first defeat of his career.

ALinChainz

07-14-2007, 10:20 PM

Alfonso Gomez is beating Arturo Gatti right now, practically shutting him out after 6 rounds.

Gatti is through and he talks about bigger fights yet.

Waiting on Margarito-Williams, that should be exciting.

ALinChainz

07-14-2007, 10:23 PM

As I posted that ... Gomez KOs Gatti ...

Retire Gatti ... while you still have some dignity.

ALinChainz

07-14-2007, 11:39 PM

Paul Williams wins a unanimous decision over Margarito, fairly easy although Margarito came on later, he simply did not do enough.

DlocRoth

07-15-2007, 12:42 AM

Gatti says he's done......

Actually sounds like an intelligent decision.

He says he can't compete at 147, and can't make weight at 140, so he's callin it....

Bravo, Thunder........

Cuz wow..you got your ass kicked tonight.

And WIlliams?

Shit...he ran out of gas, but that's what happens when you throw 1,000+ punches....

He won hands down.

DlocRoth

07-15-2007, 12:43 AM

All in all, a nice night of the sweet science!

That is...if someone will PLEASE strangle all of the life out of Larry Merchant. That windbag is worthless......

binnie

07-15-2007, 05:01 AM

Not good that Gatti got beaten by an average fighter like Gomez (lots of heart, not too many skills). It's always a shame when the greats go on too long.

I'm very surprised that Magarito got beaten, truly I am. Was he completely dominated?

I saw Luevano-Cook. Fucking great fight to watch, gives me some hope in the sport.

binnie

07-15-2007, 05:02 AM

Hopkind- Wright is very, very soon.

I can't imagine that there will be much in the way of fire works, but it could be an interesting fight.

How do you guys see it going? Hopkins is the favourite, but I wonder if Wright will be too negative to really allow him to dominate?

ALinChainz

07-15-2007, 11:45 AM

Margarito was dominated over the first 8 rounds. He came on some after that because like Dloc said, he started to run out of gas.

He did however win the 12th round on all cards.

Margarito bitching about getting robbed is BS.

That fight goes the old route of the 15 rounders back in the day, and he may have pulled it out.

Wright-Hopkins is a toss-up for me. I like Hopkins.

Cintron looked awesome and his only loss is to Margarito, I'd like to see a rematch there.

binnie

07-15-2007, 12:11 PM

Cheers for getting back to me on that, sounds like I missed a good fight.

I'm sure that Maragarito will be back!

binnie

07-16-2007, 04:48 AM

Originally posted by ALinChainz
Report: Taylor to move up to super middleweight

July 10, 2007

LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS (TICKER) -- Jermain Taylor will reportedly move up from middleweight to super middleweight following his proposed fight with No. 1 contender Kelly Pavlik according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's web site.

Taylor, who is very close to signing a deal to fight Pavlik at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City on September 29, said that the WBC and WBO title fight will be his last as a middleweight, which has a limit of 160 pounds.

Taylor, even if he makes his fifth consecutive successful title defense against Pavlik, will vacate his championship belts and begin a new title quest in the 168-pound super middleweight division, according to the report.

A change in class would force Taylor to vacate his titles.

This is interesting.

Is he going to take on the winner of Calzaghe-Kessler? I think either of those two would embarrass Taylor to be honest, I just can't see him living with those two.

Who has the IBF belt at 168lbs? Maybe Taylor could fight for that first, get used to the weight. Anthony Mundine would also be a good first fight for him at that weight....

binnie

07-18-2007, 09:58 AM

Calzaghe is confident....(from The Independent online)

Boxing: Calzaghe wary of Kessler challenge
By Duncan Bech
Published: 18 July 2007
Joe Calzaghe is braced for the greatest challenge of his career when he meets Mikkel Kessler in a fight promoter Frank Warren has billed as the biggest in the world. Seventy thousand tickets have been made available for the showdown at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, on 3 November with the gate receipts alone expected to generate £7m.

Calzaghe will put his WBO belt on the line while Kessler's WBC and WBA titles are at stake as the unbeaten super-middleweight rivals clash to determine who rules the division. High-profile Americans Jermain Taylor and Bernard Hopkins had been mooted as possible opponents, but Calzaghe insists heavily-tattooed Dane Kessler is the most dangerous adversary.

And while bookmakers have made Calzaghe 1-2 favourite - the 35-year-old Welshman is fighting on home soil - he knows he will have to reproduce his brilliant display against Jeff Lacy if he is to triumph.

"On paper Mikkel is excellent. His record is 39-0 and he has two world titles. It's the biggest and only fight out there for me," he said. "Maybe it's the most difficult fight too. Jermain Taylor is a middleweight while Bernard Hopkins is 42 and just living on his name. But Kessler is at his peak. Just like Jeff Lacy he's young, hungry and wants to be the best in the world.

"I think he's a better fighter than Lacy - he's taller, bigger and stronger. I'm 35 and he'll be hoping I'm slipping - well we'll see about that on 3 November.

"There's no way I'm going to lose the fight because I'll be in the best shape of my life. When I'm at my best no one can beat me."

binnie

07-18-2007, 10:00 AM

And so is Kessler (from the BBC)

Kessler calls Calzaghe a slapper

Calzaghe v Kessler could attract a world record crowd
Mikkel Kessler has built the heat ahead of his 3 November super middleweight unification bout with Joe Calzaghe by claiming that the Welshman "slaps".
"Calzaghe's an awkward fighter who throws a lot of punches but slaps a lot, too," he told BBC Sport Wales.

The accusation has been frequently thrown at Calzaghe and helped motivate him to two of his best performances, against Byron Mitchell and Jeff Lacy.

The bout could attract a record crowd, with over 17,000 tickets already sold.

606: DEBATE
The fight is 60-40 in favour of Calzaghe

AFCforever

The world record attendance for an indoor boxing show is 63,350, for Muhammad Ali's rematch with Leon Spinks at the New Orleans Superdome in 1978.

But promoter Frank Warren hopes to attract up to 70,000 to Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, which will have its sliding roof closed.

Dane Kessler, 28, will be putting his WBA and WBC titles on the line, along with a perfect 39-0 (29 KOs) record.

But Calzaghe, 35, will be making his 21st defence of the WBO title that he has held for 10 years, making him the world's longest reigning world champion with a record of 43-0 (32 KOs).

"Kessler is the biggest and most difficult fight out there for me," said Calzaghe.

"He's at his peak. Just like Jeff Lacy he's young, hungry and wants to be the best in the world.

"I think he's a better fighter than Lacy - he's taller, bigger and stronger. But there's no way I'm going to lose the fight because I'll be in the best shape of my life and when I'm at my best no one can beat me.

"His style suits me. He's a very solid European-style fighter - quite upright and someone who comes in straight lines.

"At this stage of my career it's all about my legacy. I want to be recognised as maybe the greatest super middleweight there has been."

Despite his comments over Calzaghe's punching style, Kessler says he has respect for the Welshman and will relish the biggest test of his career.

"I've been waiting all my life for this, a big fight on US television against a great champion," Kessler told BBC Radio Wales' Back Page programme.

"They've been talking about this fight in Denmark for years.

"I don't want to reveal my tactics, but I'll keep my distance as usual. I'm a more intelligent fighter than Calzaghe.

"Lacy was too slow to take him on, but I know that I'm number one in the division and I'm going to kick his ass."

ALinChainz

07-18-2007, 10:37 AM

I really like Kessler in this one and agree with his "slapper" tag, but only in the sense of his power isn't what Kessler's is.

I would like to see Kessler reverse the roles and blitz him. If you back Calzaghe up, it neutralizes his speed. Kessler being younger, his liability will be experience. Calzaghe keeps talking about Lacy prior to this fight and this one I believe will be be much more difficult.

I wish I could predict a KO, but it won't happen I don't think. I think if Calzaghe gets a taste of power, he'll run and survive.

binnie

07-18-2007, 10:49 AM

Originally posted by ALinChainz
I really like Kessler in this one and agree with his "slapper" tag, but only in the sense of his power isn't what Kessler's is.

I would like to see Kessler reverse the roles and blitz him. If you back Calzaghe up, it neutralizes his speed. Kessler being younger, his liability will be experience. Calzaghe keeps talking about Lacy prior to this fight and this one I believe will be be much more difficult.

I wish I could predict a KO, but it won't happen I don't think. I think if Calzaghe gets a taste of power, he'll run and survive.

In his early days Calzaghe had major power, I mean major. He was the only guy ever to floor Chris Eubank (former Super-Middleweight champ with 18 or so defences). But his hands are brittle, so he has changed his style to utilize his speed.

However, one thing about Calzaghe is that he likes to fight, to brawl, and that's been his weakness. In a lot of his fights he could have won easily be using his speed and foot-work, but he opted rather to stand and trade because he likes the hard man stuff. If Frank Warren's organization hadn't taken all the clips off youtube, I'd post the fights to show you.

I'm not too sure how this fight will go, and I don't think it's easy to pick a winner. I've never seen anyone back Calzaghe up, and if Kessler is going to try and do that he's going to get hit half a dozen times every time he comes in, but it is a tactic I would recommend as you say.

However, Kessler likes to fight at a distance. He is really a counter puncher, and picks people off as they come forward. In many respects he is like Hopkins, he loves to control the pace and opperate at range. His weakness is that he goes totally off balance when he is backed up. If you watch the Beyer fight and his last bout you will see moments where he is backed up and leans back, going off balance - those oppents didn't capitalize on it, but Calzaghe should be fst enough too.

But like I said I just can't predict this one. Kessler has youth on his side, and that's a major advantage.

I think we should be in for a classic, regardless of the outcome.

ALinChainz

07-18-2007, 11:04 AM

Hand problems + age ... even with the speed, he better be able to discourage Kessler from walking in. Kessler waiting to counterpunch a fast handed fighter is a mistake I think.

Calzaghe talks now about this is the fight for him after all those months of dismissing a Kessler fight. He has to talk this way now to hype the thing.

Personally, I hope Kessler KOs him and he retires. I'm still pissed over that last fight with Manfredo. A love-tap stoppage. He would have won anyway, that was a homer call to save some face as a decision would have hurt more than helped.

binnie

07-18-2007, 11:09 AM

Originally posted by ALinChainz

Personally, I hope Kessler KOs him and he retires. I'm still pissed over that last fight with Manfredo. A love-tap stoppage. He would have won anyway, that was a homer call to save some face as a decision would have hurt more than helped.

It actually hurt him in the long run, as he wanted to raise his profile in the States and it back-fired.

You can't blame him for the fight being stopped though, it was the ref's fault. Yeah it was stopped to early, but it stopped Manfredo becoming a shot fighter like Lacy is now - he'll never be the same.

Manfredo wasn't hurt, that's for sure. But his face was already swelled up. He was getting hit, and it would have only been a matter of time....

binnie

07-18-2007, 11:14 AM

It's Hopkins-Wright this Saturday. I can't see it cos I'm out of town (damnit!)

I'd love to see Hopkins win, as I really admire him and hes never ducked anyone (not saying Winky has though). However, I think Wright has the edge, he's just so damn awkward and Hopkins just isn't the sort of pressure fighter to worry him. Winky is really hard to look good against.

It'll be chess match, but it might be interesting....

ALinChainz

07-19-2007, 12:47 AM

Current Champs (http://sports.yahoo.com/box/leaguepage/champs;_ylt=AhBSwwqvEFJU9AvwiEtYb.SixLYF?prov=st&type=lgns)

ALinChainz

07-19-2007, 12:49 AM

Naito wins decision over Pongsaklek for WBC title

July 18, 2007

TOKYO (TICKER) -- Japanese challenger Daisuke Naito won a unanimous decision over champion Pongsaklek Wonjongkam of Thailand on Wednesday to capture the WBC flyweight title.

The 32-year-old Naito, who previously lost to Pongsaklek in April 2002 and October 2005, made his third his try at the title count. "I was super-focused but I wasn't sure if I could win," Naito said. "In the ninth round, I ran out of steam but I just pushed myself with all of my heart. I was ready to retire if I lost. All my practice paid off in the end."

Naito (31-2-2, 20 KOs) took control from the early rounds at Korakuen Hall, landing big left-right combinations to Pongsaklek's face and taking an advantage with his unorthodox punching style. A cut, which the Thai boxer said was from a headbutt, opened up above Pongsaklek's left eye in the third round.

The Hokkaido native became the second-oldest Japanese boxer at 32 years, 10 months to claim a world title. Takashi Koshimoto captured the WBC featherweight title at 35 years old.

Pongsaklek (65-3, 34 KOs), failed in his 18th title defense and relinquished the title he won in March 2001.

"Today Naito was the better fighter and I admit it," Pongsaklek said. "But the cut I got in the third round was from a headbutt. It's unfortunate I had to give up the belt."

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=txnaitofight&prov=st&type=lgns

ALinChainz

07-21-2007, 06:16 PM

Walshman Rees captures WBA light-heavyweight title

July 21, 2007

By Riath Al-Samarrai Special to PA SportsTicker

CARDIFF, Wales (Ticker) - Gavin Rees became Wales' 10th world champion after claiming a unanimous points victory over WBA light-welterweight champion Souleymane M'Baye on Saturday.

The 27-year-old, whose career looked to be over in 2004 after he was given a year-long ban for knocking out a funeral mourner, completed his rehabilitation with a stunning display.

From the first bell he took the initiative and, irrespective of the sleek skills facing him, dropped few rounds against a man Ricky Hatton refused to fight, taking the verdict, 110-118, 112-117, 113-117.

Indeed, the early signs were positive for Welsh fans, with Rees initiating the action and working a series of quick combinations to the Frenchman's body, but the champion rarely sniffed danger in either of the first two rounds.

Irrespective, Rees continued to pour in the punches and, despite missing with plenty of them, remained on the front foot while evading M'Baye's huge range of shots.

It was a pattern that continued for three rounds but M'Baye's approach was not understated for long.

By the fourth he was landing the telling blows and in the fifth he smiled at Rees' best flurry while picking him off repeatedly with his left jab.

The sixth and seventh rounds saw the contender crunch M'Baye's ribs with a relentless surge of body shots but his best delivery, a left hook, clattered into the 32-year-old's jaw in the eighth.

The next four rounds passed in a similar fashion, the Welshman clearly the superior even in the absence of a big shot, and when the verdict came few were surprised.

Rees told ITV Sport: "From the first bell I outpunched him every round. I started to tire towards the end but I had won the first eight rounds.

"I knew I had already won the fight so I knew to keep calm. No one expected me to beat him, no one at all. There were massive odds in the bookies everywhere but I told everyone from the start I was going to win."

Asked if he planned to defend the title for a while, he replied: "For a long time, and maybe gain another one or two.

"There are a lot of good fights now at light welterweight and a lot of good fights in Britain. I am the world champion."

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=txreeswbatitle&prov=st&type=lgns

ALinChainz

07-21-2007, 11:08 PM

Maccarinelli retains WBO cruiserweight belt

July 21, 2007

CARDIFF, Wales (Ticker) - Welshman Enzo Maccarinelli endured arguably the toughest test of his career before defending his WBO world cruiserweight title with a unanimous points decision against Wayne Braithwaite on Saturday.

The 26-year-old, making the third defense of the belt he inherited in the wake of Johnny Nelson's retirement last year, faced, for the first time in 28 fights, punching power that matched his own.

Twice the Guyana fighter, nicknamed "Big Truck" in honor of his punching power, had the Maccarinelli struggling with big left hooks, while his jab caused significant bruising around Maccarinelli's eyes.

But, despite absorbing some enormous blows, the champion looked superb, even flooring the challenger in the fifth, and deserved the verdict of 118-109, 120-107 and 119-108.

Maccarinelli told ITV Sport: "It was a tough match against a WBC world champion, he is one of the top fighters in the world and I won on a points decision.

"He took some great shots, I dominated with the jab. I neglected the right hand a bit, I hurt it early on but the jab kept me in it.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=txmaccarinellititle&prov=st&type=lgns

diamondD

07-22-2007, 08:59 AM

On a side note, I threw football with Jermaine Taylor yesterday at the lake I hang out at. Hell of a nice guy and having the time of his life. He's got a new Mastercraft and he and his buddies have been out there a lot this summer.

They did haul ass to go watch the fight at about 6.

binnie

07-23-2007, 03:12 AM

I watched Rees-M'Baye and Maccrinelli-Braithwaite.

Both really good fights.

Maccrinelli has the power to to do something spectacualr at Crusierwieght, and his skills are getting better with every fight. I can see him beating the likes of O'Neil Bell and David Haye. Jean Marc Mckormack I'm not so sure about, but it'd be a great fight.

From what I've heard, Hopkins dominated Winky. Is that the case?

binnie

07-23-2007, 03:31 AM

From ESPN

Hopkins keeps title with entertaining win over Wright
By Dan Rafael
ESPN.com
(Archive)
Updated: July 22, 2007, 6:11 PM ET
Comment
Email
Print
LAS VEGAS -- The conventional wisdom heading into Bernard Hopkins' light heavyweight championship defense against Winky Wright on Saturday night was:

A) It would be a boring fight.

B) It would be a close fight.

Well, it wasn't boring. It was pretty entertaining. But it was also a fight filled with many close rounds between defensive tacticians who decided to mix it up more than they normally do.

In the end, however, it was Hopkins, at age 42, winning a unanimous decision to retain his title before a crowd of about 9,000 at Mandalay Bay.

Although the scorecards were somewhat wide -- 117-111, 117-111 and 116-112 -- there were some very difficult rounds to score as both fighters had their moments. ESPN.com scored it 116-112 for Hopkins.

"It was a very close fight, a tough fight," Hopkins said. "Winky is very tough, and he kept coming. He knows I respect him a lot."

For Hopkins (48-4-1, 32 KOs), it was a terrific encore for what he accomplished 13 months ago, when the long-reigning middleweight champion moved up to light heavyweight and easily dominated Antonio Tarver to win the title.

Hopkins had announced before the Tarver fight that he would retire afterward, and it was one of the great walk-away performances in sports history. But Hopkins couldn't stay away. Feeling strong and good at a heavier weight after more than a decade of squeezing down to middleweight, Hopkins decided to come back to fight Wright, the former undisputed middleweight champ and top middleweight contender.

It turned out to be the right decision.

Although Hopkins no longer can fight for a full three minutes of each round, he was effective in spots with his combination punching. When Wright (51-4-1, 25 KOs) landed his straight left, Hopkins was able to respond with his own blows.

But Hopkins also used his head -- a lot. Referee Robert Byrd warned him repeatedly for using his head, but he never deducted a point.

An accidental head butt opened a nasty cut by Wright's left eye in the third round. Although blood was dripping down his cheek, the 35-year-old was aggressive, with Hopkins countering.

The cut seemed to bother Wright throughout the bout, and he was complaining to Byrd about Hopkins' tactics.

When they clinched in the fourth round, Hopkins rubbed his head against Wright's, drawing one of the many warnings from Byrd.

"I won the fight," said Wright, who suffered his first defeat since a controversial decision loss to Fernando Vargas in 1999. "It was a dirty fight. He was head butting all day. I went up to fight the best. I still want to fight the best. I thought I won the fight, but it was a close fight."

CompuBox statistics indicated it was very close. Hopkins was credited with landing 152 of 640 punches (24 percent) and Wright with landing 167 of 618 blows (27 percent).

Hopkins insisted he didn't butt Wright on purpose.

"He was coming toward me, and I was going under him," Hopkins said. "It was definitely an accidental head butt. It happens a lot when you fight southpaws."

Wright, who earned $2 million plus a percentage of pay-per-view profits, looked as though he was slowing down in the ninth round, and the cut was still bothering him. And, yet again, Byrd warned Hopkins for using his head but still didn't dock a point.

Hopkins looked fresh late in the bout, luring Wright in and snapping off combinations.

In the 12th, he wobbled Wright with a right hand as blood streaked down his cheek.

But Wright didn't blame the head butt for his loss.

"I don't think the head butt was intentional," he said. "It was a head butt. That's that. I told them I was coming to fight. I'm not at 170 [pounds]. I'll go down to 160 or wherever. I'll fight all the best fighters."

HBO will replay the bout, along with live coverage of the Vernon Forrest-Carlos Baldomir junior middleweight title bout, next Saturday (10:15 p.m. ET/PT).

At Friday's weigh-in, Hopkins ignited a fracas when he shoved Wright on the forehead with an open fist. After the fight, he admitted it was a ploy to hype a bout that hadn't caught the public's attention, even though it matched two of the best fighters in the world.

"What happened the other day was just part of the hype of the fight. But it obviously manifested itself in the ring because we both came to fight tonight," said Hopkins, who had $300,000 of his $3 million guaranteed purse held by the Nevada commission for the shoving incident, pending a hearing. "Somebody said it was boring. I didn't think it was boring. It was a great fight."

Hopkins, his legacy growing with each outing, intends to fight on.

"I want [super middleweight champion] Joe Calzaghe next," Hopkins said. "Tell him to come on over here [from Wales] and we'll fight. I'll beat him, too, and then he won't be undefeated."

Dan Rafael is the boxing writer for ESPN.com.

binnie

07-24-2007, 11:19 AM

HOPKINS WANTS CALZAGHE

From ESPN

LAS VEGAS -- Bernard Hopkins came out of retirement at age 42 to put an end to Winky Wright's 7½-year unbeaten streak.

Now the patient, defensive master who outboxed Wright for a unanimous decision at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on Saturday night is looking to take on an undefeated Welshman for the next chapter in the twilight of his career.

"I want Joe Calzaghe next," Hopkins said of the Welsh 168-pound champion. "Tell him to come over here, and I'm going to beat him, too."

Hopkins (48-4-1, 32 KOs) was triumphant after picking at a gash that opened over Wright's left eye with a head-butt in the third round. Wright (51-4-1) scrambled and counterpunched, but couldn't get away.

Wright grew frustrated and tired in the late rounds, and Hopkins stuck with a steady strategy in a light-heavyweight fight featuring more action than most expected from two guarded counterpunchers. Wright was active and resilient, but Hopkins usually was a half-step ahead.

Judges Glenn Trowbridge and Dave Moretti scored it 117-111 for Hopkins, and Glenn Hamada scored it 116-112. The Associated Press also gave it to Hopkins, 115-113.

Wright thought the fight was his, but didn't blame Hopkins for the head-butt.

"I thought I won the fight, but it was a close fight," said Wright, who doesn't plan to fight again at 170 pounds. "I don't think the head-butt was intentional. It was a head-butt. That's that."

Hopkins praised his opponent, calling it "a very close fight."

"Winky is tough, and he kept coming," Hopkins said. "He knows that I respect him a lot. I had no ill intent. It was all good for both gentlemen, and boxing is back."

Hopkins retired last year after a career highlighted by 21 straight middleweight title defenses and last year's shocking win over Antonio Tarver. Months later, he abandoned retirement for a shot at the 35-year-old Wright, who hadn't lost in 13 fights since December 1999.

By calling out Calzaghe, Hopkins has set the bar higher as his career nears its physical limits.

Calzaghe, the WBO super middleweight champion, goes into a Nov. 3 unification bout against Denmark's Mikkel Kessler, the WBC and WBA champion who is 39-0 with 29 KOs.

Calzaghe has 20 successful title defenses behind him -- putting him five short of Joe Louis's all-time record. At 43-0, Calzaghe is also nearing Marciano's 49-0.

But Hopkins said he was in great shape too and didn't want to quit now.

"Now people look at me and say, 'Look at your shoulders. Look at your midsection. It's like you're a wide receiver for an NFL team,'" he said. "Why cheat myself and not be able to exploit the situation by continuing?"

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

binnie

07-24-2007, 11:23 AM

DE LA HOYA IS INTERESTED IN HATTON

From ESPN

LAS VEGAS -- Oscar De La Hoya plans to continue fighting and has targeted Britain's Ricky Hatton for a possible clash next year.

"There's been rumblings going on about it," said the Mexican-American multiple world champion, known as "Golden Boy", of a possible Hatton bout.

"I respect Ricky Hatton. He's a great fighter, he's a great guy. If that fight does get made, fans all over the world will be ecstatic. They will see a fight. Ricky Hatton comes to fight. And that's what I love. If we ever do it, it will be a heck of a show, that's for sure."

Hatton told Reuters: "It would be an honor to share a ring with a modern day legend like Oscar.

"It would be great to fight him in England in a soccer stadium or America. It would be some fight. It's those sort of fights that secure your legacy."

It is not the only option available to Hatton, whose stock rose in the United States following his fourth-round knock-out of Mexican Jose Luis Castillo last month.

U.S. television executives would like to match him up later this year against any one of the following: WBA welterweight champion Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico, former champion Shane Mosley, or WBC champion Floyd Mayweather Jr., who beat De La Hoya on a split decision in May. A Mayweather fight, in particular, excites Hatton.

"It's no secret that I also want to fight Floyd," he said.

"Hopefully in the autumn. He is regarded as the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, but I feel I have the style to beat him. But if Floyd won't fight me maybe Oscar would. Oscar has never dodged anybody."

Mayweather said he was retiring following his victory over De La Hoya, but following Hatton's defeat of Castillo, said he wanted to "beat him all the way back to England."

A fight with either De La Hoya or Mayweather would almost certainly have to be in the welterweight division, seven pounds heavier than Hatton normally fights and seven pounds below De La Hoya's recent fighting weight.

ALinChainz

07-24-2007, 11:27 AM

Funny how now he wants Calzaghe. Calzaghe mentioned him before signing to fight Kessler, along with Taylor.

I bet Calzaghe is pissed, he would more than likely made more money with Hopkins, although it is hard to say with the fight over there.

I will wait and reserve opinion until I see the replay of Hopkins-Wright. I had Hopkins winning by decision before the fight and it looks as if (by the scoring) the decision was fairly decisive. Wright, in fight, made gestures that he thought the butt was intentional and then changed his tune in the post-fight.

binnie

07-24-2007, 11:37 AM

Headbuts happen, it's part of the game; as are elbows, leaning etc etc...

Might not be strickly "legal" but it happens so often it's a regular thing, probably accepted by most fighters: Evander Holyfield wouldn't have gotten so far without his head!

I haven't seen it yet, but it seems that Wright was beaten fair and square. I feel a little sorry for the guy becuase he clearly beat Jermain Taylor, but didn't get the decision. Guess he's just not lucky.

All credit to Hopkins though. I honestly thought that Wright would be too defensive for him, shows what I know.

There have been some decent fights in the past three months, gives me hope for the sport. TheHeavyweight division needs some fire in it though, it's the ambassador for the sport and attracts the people with a fringe interest. Couple of decent heavyweights would attract a lot more media attention for boxing.

Can't think of anyone up to the job though....

It's funny that he can beat Wright, but struggle with Jermain Taylor, who must be a little slower and easier to hit?

ALinChainz

07-24-2007, 11:49 AM

I agree 1000% about Holyfield. I know Tyson was a moron for biting him and may not have won anyway, but he was dead-on about Evander's heat butting.

This was too heavy for Wright in my opinion. Middleweight and Super isn't far off, 8 lbs. But at nearly 170, this was the limit for Wright. I figured Hopkins would be too strong.

ALinChainz

07-24-2007, 11:50 AM

I don't think he's slower, he just had the style. And he beat Hopkins twice in the same fashion, so it is odd how that worked.

binnie

07-25-2007, 02:50 AM

Taylor-Pavlick could be an interesting fight. I imagine that Taylor will be too smart for him though....

ALinChainz

07-28-2007, 03:03 PM

Pavik is a tough dude ... he will go right at him, whether that is a mistake or not.

And Mayweather-Hatton is on.

==================================================

So much for retirement

By Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports

July 27, 2007

Unbeaten welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. has opted against retirement for the chance to make Ricky Hatton pay for his boastful comments.

Mayweather and Hatton agreed to terms Friday for a Dec. 8 welterweight fight in Las Vegas, less than three months after Mayweather had said he planned to retire following a victory over Oscar De La Hoya.

Hatton called out Mayweather both before and after his June 23 knockout of Jose Luis Castillo. On Friday, a deal was reached, though Mayweather said he is not certain if his WBC welterweight title will be at stake.

"He's definitely getting knocked out. I guarantee that," Mayweather said. "He's talked the talk. Let's see if he can walk the walk when he's in there against the best."

The fight will pit a pair of unbeatens in a duel for supremacy at 147 pounds. Mayweather, 30, is 38-0 with 24 knockouts. He has held world titles at super featherweight, lightweight, super lightweight, welterweight and super welterweight.

Hatton, 28, is 43-0 with 31 knockouts. He's held titles at super lightweight and welterweight, but would be moving up from 140 pounds to fight Mayweather.

It is a match reminiscent of the 1999 battle between De La Hoya and Felix Trinidad.

Trinidad won a controversial decision over De La Hoya in that Sept. 18, 1999 bout, which held the record for the most pay-per-view sales in a non-heavyweight fight until Mayweather's bout with De La Hoya in May. The Trinidad-De La Hoya bout sold 1.4 million on pay-per-view; De La Hoya and Mayweather combined to sell 2.15 million for their super welterweight bout.

Mayweather adviser Leonard Ellerbe credited Hatton and his father, Ray, for stepping up to get the deal done. However, Ellerbe said he expected Mayweather to prove his superiority in the bout.

Though Hatton is moving up in weight, Ellerbe said Mayweather is truly a lightweight.

"Floyd is going in there and beating these guys even though he's really a lightweight and is giving up something like 20 pounds," Ellerbe said. "What's that tell you about him? When he stepped into the ring against Oscar, he weighed 148 and Oscar weighed 168.

"This isn't like Floyd has some huge size advantage. Floyd is just on another level skill-wise."

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news;_ylt=Ak2PAe5to0ptb17X74aVC5k5nYcB?slug=ki-mayweather072707&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

ALinChainz

07-28-2007, 11:11 PM

Saw Hopkins-Wright tonight.

Sloppy and horrible.

The head butt wasn't nearly as bad as Wright made it sound or look, andf Hopkins wanting to fight anyone anymore is a joke.

He needs to retire. Any of the younger dudes will wear his ass out.

binnie

07-29-2007, 04:20 AM

Originally posted by ALinChainz
Saw Hopkins-Wright tonight.

Sloppy and horrible.

The head butt wasn't nearly as bad as Wright made it sound or look, andf Hopkins wanting to fight anyone anymore is a joke.

He needs to retire. Any of the younger dudes will wear his ass out.

I agree on both points.

Hopkins can only fight for a mnute or so of each round, that's a dangerous place to be in. His counter-punching skills are still second to none, but he should retire. It would be better than getting beaten by some average fighter 18 months down the line...

binnie

07-29-2007, 04:27 AM

Mayweather-Hatton moves a step closer. From telegraph.co.uk

Ricky Hatton is set to get his wish of a career-defining super-fight against Floyd Mayweather after his father Ray confirmed he had reached a deal "in principle" with the American's representatives.

Hatton said a verbal agreement had been struck between lawyers for both parties, including, crucially, over the financial split of what would be a multi-million dollar bout.

But Hatton said he would remain cautious until contracts had been exchanged. He added that no date or venue had been agreed, but it would probably take place on Nov 10 or Dec 8 in Las Vegas.

advertisementRay Hatton said: "We have agreed a deal in principle. The date and venue is up in the air but we agreed via our lawyers what the financial side of it is going to be. I can't honestly tell you a deal has been done until I see the signatures on all the documents. But what I can tell you is that both sides were happy with what we finalised verbally."

It is believed the fight could be officially announced as early as tomorrow, with Mayweather's advisers telling US media sources that it was a done deal for Dec 8.

The speed with which such a big fight appears to have been put together will stun many observers who have grown used to seeing so many potential super-fights mired in politics and financial issues.

Hatton had called out Mayweather after his magnificent June 23 win over Jose Luis Castillo.

Mayweather, who was supposed to have retired after his May 5 win over Oscar De La Hoya, responded by saying he wanted the fight. The American's representatives flew Ray Hatton and the family's lawyer, Gareth Williams, to Las Vegas to watch last week's fight between Bernard Hopkins and Winky Wright.

Hatton said negotiations were "cordial", but that the pair had flown back to England with both camps "far apart" on the financial aspects of the fight.

However, a deal has been reached over the telephone in recent days. "It is a great fight for Ricky. How many times do you get to fight the best fighter in the world? I see it as a win-win situation because Ricky cannot fail to impress," Hatton added.

"Floyd is coming off a great win over De La Hoya and Ricky over Castillo. Between them they are unbeaten in 81 fights. There is nowhere else it could happen. It would be an unbelievable fight." Neither fighter will go into the ring bearing a recognised title belt. Mayweather handed back the WBC light-middleweight belt he won over De La Hoya because he had no intention of remaining at that weight.

But both Mayweather and Hatton possess the Ring Magazine belts at 147lbs and 140lbs, respectively. It is likely Hatton would agree to move up to meet Mayweather at the higher weight.

Despite affording Mayweather due respect as a supremely skilful fighter, Hatton has routinely derided what he perceives as his negative, back-foot style. The Mancunian described his win over Castillo as "more exciting than all of Mayweather's fights put together", and it appears he has succeeded in rankling the self-styled 'Pretty Boy' out of retirement.

binnie

07-30-2007, 07:14 AM

MAYWEATHER AND JUDDAH BRAWL IN A NIGHTCLUB?

from doghouseboxing.com

According to a few Rap sites reports from this month July, and yet to be confirmed by main stream news outlets, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Zab Judah were involved in a scuffle with one another at a night club.

The brief melee occurred at the OPM nightclub in Las Vegas.

According to some reports, Mayweather initiated the melee with a war of words at Judah. Things quickly got heated and
then turned into a physical encounter.

Reportedly, Judah suffered bloody knuckles from the brief encounter.

Earlier this year, Mayweather Jr defeated Judah with a unanimous decision over Judah. A melee also occurred in that fight after Judah hit Mayweather with a low blow in the tenth round.

Afterwards, Zab, his father Yoel and Mayweather's trainer, Roger Mayweather were all fined and given suspensions by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for jumping into the ring and starting a small riot inside the ring..

binnie

07-30-2007, 07:16 AM

FORREST KILLS BALDOMIR FOR TITLE

NEW YORK -- Vernon Forrest can be called a world champion once again. In a solid fight between two 36 year-olds, Forrest (39-2, 28 KOs) won the WBC super welterweight championship following a hard-fought, 12-round unanimous decision against Carlos Baldomir (43-10-6, 13 KOs) at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington on Saturday.

It was Forrest's second world championship in as many weight classes. " I wouldn't say I'm back," Forrest said afterward. "I'm just back on top". His battle with Baldomir, a former WBC welterweight champion who is best-known for victories against Zab Judah and Arturo Gatti before losing to Floyd Mayweather last year, was exciting.

Forrest threw more punches (663-669) and outjabbed Baldomir (107-42). He was much taller than the durable 5-foot-7 Baldomir and was dominant as the scorecards clearly reflected in his performance.

All three judges scored the bout 118-109 (twice) and 116-111. Baldomir stunned Forrest in the ninth round. Forrest was also docked one point in that same round for a low blow.

"He pushed me to the limit," Forrest said of Baldomir. "I'm just happy I got a victory. I needed some body like that to push me. I fight up or down to the level of my opposition."

Although Forrest won the WBC 154-pound championship, it remains to be seen as to whether he'll move back down to 147 for a big fight. The welterweight division is where the money is, as WBA welterweight champion Miguel Cotto will face "Sugar" Shane Mosley in the fall.

WBC welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather, Jr. has agreed to face Ricky Hatton in the winter as well. Also, Oscar De La Hoya is eying an eventual return to the welterweight class and is currently walking around at approximately 150 pounds.

Also, IBF champion Kermit Cintron, newly crowned WBO champion Paul Williams, who just defeated Paul Williams, Joshua Clotty, former undisputed world welterweight champion Zab Judah, former WBA welterweight champion Ike Quartey, and upcoming prospects Andre Berto and Shamone Alvarez round out the 147-pound class.

It doesn't make any sense for Forrest to move up to middleweight. Unbeaten WBC/WBO middleweight champion is going to move up to 168 after his September 29 defense against undefeated No. 1-ranked challenger Kelly Pavlik. Also, it wouldn't make sense for IBF champion Arthur Abraham and WBA champion Felix Sturm to want to fight Forrest.

IBF junior middleweight champion Cory Spinks, newly crowned WBA 154-pound champion Joachim Alcine, Travis Simms, and Roman Karmazin are all good fighters. However, they are not the best fighters and no one will be interested in watching them fight Forrest.

While De La Hoya made millions fighting Pernell Whitaker, Ike Quartey, and Felix Trinidad in the late 1990s, Forrest (along with Winky Wright) was intentionally left out of the loop. At 6-feet, Forrest was a taller welterweight who could move, box, and had good timing.

Forrest was always known throughout the boxing community, but didn't become a superstar until he unified the WBC/IBF welterweight titles by handing Mosley the first two losses in his professional career in 2001.

Forrest's career began to sag after a pair of shocking losses to Ricardo Mayorga the following year. Forrest was inactive from boxing during 2003-2005, as he had surgeries on both shoulders.

Since returning to boxing in July 2005, he's 4-0, with 2 KOs. The combined record of his opposition is (116-16-7). Prior to Baldomir, Forrest won a disputed 10-round decision against Quartey in August 2005.

It will be very interesting to see where Forrest can go following the Baldomir fight and whether anyone would be willing to fight him.

DlocRoth

07-30-2007, 03:37 PM

Baldomir is a washed up cunt.

Verno mopped up on him.

Also, I agree with the Bernard comments.....

One of the best ever, but he can't fight younger guys anymore. I'm not saying he'd get killed in there or anything, but he'd take waaaay too much punishment.

Time to call it a day, Ex......

binnie

07-31-2007, 03:54 AM

Originally posted by DlocRoth

One of the best ever, but he can't fight younger guys anymore. I'm not saying he'd get killed in there or anything, but he'd take waaaay too much punishment.

Time to call it a day, Ex......

He's not going to though, is he? Sad but true

DlocRoth

07-31-2007, 09:12 AM

Who knows?

He also said he'd retire before he turned 40.

binnie

07-31-2007, 09:29 AM

True, but after the Winky fight he said he wants Calzaghe, and he still wants to win a heavyweight title.

He has also said that people have been telling him that he looks like a football player, because of his physique. He clearly believes that there is still gas in the tank.

I hope he calls it a day soon, before the decline really kicks in...

DlocRoth

07-31-2007, 10:09 PM

Same here.....

He's still in great shape physically though....

And he's still a draw.....

But he needs to hang it up, he can only tarnish his legacy at this point.

ALinChainz

08-02-2007, 02:36 PM

Oh man, Hopkins will NEVER win any version of the heavyweight title.

Unless its the newly founded OLD Belt.

Ironically, it was the bullshit decision that Michael Spinks was given in the second Holmes fight that spawned the IBF and that belt was bestowed onto Holmes.

ALinChainz

08-02-2007, 02:37 PM

Holyfield replaces Chagaev in October bout with Ibragimov

August 2, 2007

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (AP) -- Evander Holyfield will replace Ruslan Chagaev in a bout against Sultan Ibragimov in Russia in October, six days before the former heavyweight champ's 45th birthday.

Event organizers announced Thursday that Chagaev, the WBA heavyweight champion, was withdrawing because of unspecified medical reasons. He was scheduled to fight Ibragimov, the WBO champ, in an Oct. 13 unification bout at Khodynka Arena in Moscow.

In his latest comeback attempt, Holyfield (42-8-2, 27 KOs) is seeking to earn a record fifth heavyweight title.

The 32-year old Ibragimov, who will be fighting in his native country, is 21-0-1 with 17 KOs.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=ap-chagaev-holyfield&prov=ap&type=lgns

binnie

08-03-2007, 02:52 AM

Originally posted by ALinChainz
Oh man, Hopkins will NEVER win any version of the heavyweight title.

Unless its the newly founded OLD Belt.

Ironically, it was the bullshit decision that Michael Spinks was given in the second Holmes fight that spawned the IBF and that belt was bestowed onto Holmes.

Roy Jones won his title due to his incredible speed and footwork, which kept hm from being hit: I'm not too sure that Hopkins has enough of those skills left to operate against a heavyweight. Might be wrong, but I doubt it...

binnie

08-03-2007, 02:55 AM

Originally posted by ALinChainz
Holyfield replaces Chagaev in October bout with Ibragimov

August 2, 2007

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (AP) -- Evander Holyfield will replace Ruslan Chagaev in a bout against Sultan Ibragimov in Russia in October, six days before the former heavyweight champ's 45th birthday.

Event organizers announced Thursday that Chagaev, the WBA heavyweight champion, was withdrawing because of unspecified medical reasons. He was scheduled to fight Ibragimov, the WBO champ, in an Oct. 13 unification bout at Khodynka Arena in Moscow.

In his latest comeback attempt, Holyfield (42-8-2, 27 KOs) is seeking to earn a record fifth heavyweight title.

The 32-year old Ibragimov, who will be fighting in his native country, is 21-0-1 with 17 KOs.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=ap-chagaev-holyfield&prov=ap&type=lgns

Anyone seen Sultan fight? He can punch, really punch. I'd love to see Holyfield win this, I really would. And he just charges straight at his oponents and smothers them with punches. Back in the day, Holyfield would have eaten him for breakfast but now, I'm not so sure

But I'd also like to see him make it to 45 in good health.

My first feeling is that if Holyfield uses his head (both metaphorically and literally) and ties Sultan up, or keeps him at range and counter-punches, he'll slowly where him down. If he tries to stand and trade blows I've got a feeling he'll lose (Holyfield won't be knocked out though...)

binnie

08-03-2007, 07:49 AM

Two decent fights this Saturday:

Eric Morales moves up to Lightwait to take on David diaz for the WBC belt. My gut feeling on this on goes with Diaz: Morales is a legend, no question, but his best years are behind him. Diaz will be two strong for him I think

Rafael Marquez vs Israel Vasquez at Super-Bantom. Looking forward to this one, Vasquez had to retire in the seventh with a broken nose last time if I remember correctly, but I think that may have given him the spur to revenge himslef this time, Fights like this are two close to call, but I'll go with Vasquez, as Marques isn't quite the fighter that his brother is.

Thoughts?

ALinChainz

08-05-2007, 11:36 PM

You were right on both accounts dude.

Diaz looks toward future after beating Morales in thriller to defend WBC lightweight title

By ANDREW SELIGMAN, AP Sports Writer

August 5, 2007

ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) -- While Erik Morales headed into retirement, WBC lightweight champion David Diaz turned his attention toward the future.

Morales made Diaz earn every penny of his $350,000 purse Saturday, but the 30-year-old called it a career after coming up short in his bid to become the first Mexican to win a world title in four weight classes. Diaz won a thriller by unanimous decision and cemented his status as champion after getting the belt when the WBC stripped Joel Casamayor.

Now, he wants a $1 million payday.

"I think we deserve a payday," Diaz said after his first title defense. "Hopefully, we can get it."

Diaz's first choice would be to unify the 135-pound titles. WBO and WBA lightweight champion Juan Diaz and IBF champ Julio Diaz are scheduled to meet in October, and David Diaz's first choice would be to fight either. His trainer, Jim Strickland, also thinks a big paycheck could come from fighting WBC super featherweight champ Manny Pacquiao.

"Pacquiao would be the one that would pay that," Strickland said. "That would be my choice of a fight. And with those two guys going at each other like billy goats, that ... would give the fans another fight just like we saw (Saturday) night."

Morales and Diaz went right at each other.

A former champion at 122, 126 and 130 pounds, Morales (48-6) knocked Diaz down in the first round. Diaz (33-1-1) returned the favor in the second, and they punished each other the rest of the way, bringing the crowd of 9,735 to its feet.

Morales had said he would fight once more in his hometown of Tijuana if he won. Otherwise, he would retire. But he made it known as soon as he got to his corner after the final bell that he was finished.

Morales, who earned $750,000 on Saturday, ended his career by losing four straight and five of his final six fights -- assuming he stays retired. But he also showed against Diaz that he could still compete with the best after being stopped by Pacquiao in his previous two fights.

ALinChainz

08-05-2007, 11:37 PM

Vazquez reclaims WBC Super Bantamweight title with TKO in sixth over Marquez

August 5, 2007

HIDALGO, Texas (AP) -- Israel Vazquez reclaimed the WBC super bantamweight title he lost to Rafael Marquez in March, knocking the champion down in the sixth before stopping him at the 1:16 mark Saturday night at Dodge Arena.

Vazquez took a pounding, too.

"I wasn't afraid they were going to stop the fight because I could see," said Vazquez, who had cuts above both eyes, the worst on the right side. "But my cut man (Joe Sanchez) deserves a lot of credit. So does my new trainer Rudy Perez.

"I think I proved what kind of fighter I am tonight. My nose was never a factor. I'm looking forward to fighting Marquez again. In the third fight, I will knock him out earlier."

Vazquez improved to 42-4 with 31 knockouts. Marquez, who took the belt from Vazquez in an eight-round TKO on March 3 in California, fell to 37-4 with 33 KOs.

The 29-year-old Vazquez, who fights out of Mexico City, went to the mat in the fifth, but Perez ruled he lost his balance. After he got up, Marquez began working the jab and sent Vazquez back to his corner a bloody mess.

As if sensing he needed to do something to change the momentum, Vazquez came out firing in the sixth. He knocked Marquez to the deck about a minute in with an overhand right, but Marquez continued after a standing eight count.

After the fight resumed, Vazquez continued pushing the action, landing a series of shots to the head and body of Marquez, who was not defending.

After one final right, Perez jumped between the fighters and ended it.

"This was an easy decision to stop the fight," Perez said. "I could tell (Marquez) was hurt after he went down. He got up but took a lot of punches."

Vazquez was leading 48-47 on all three judge's cards before the sixth, but Marquez appeared to be the stronger fighter early. That changed in the third when a solid right by Vazquez buckled Marquez's legs. He never looked as powerful after that, but he wasn't happy with the stoppage.

"I don't know why the referee stopped the fight," Marquez said. "I was still punching and he never looked at my eyes. I wanted to keep on going. I definitely want a third fight."

In the co-main event, Celestino Caballero (27-2, 18 KOs) defended his WBA Super Bantamwieght championship by taking a unanimous 12-round decision over Jorge Lacierva (32-7-6, 22 KOs) in a fight that looked closer than it was scored by the judges.

Rafael Ramos scored the bout 116-111, Dr. Ruben Garcia saw it 116-110 and Levi Martinez scored it 115-112, all in favor of the champ, who was making his second title defense.

"There was no doubt in my mind that I won this fight," Caballero said. "I was connecting with the better punches and jabbing him at will. I am happy with my performance but I know I could have done better. It's hard to look good against a guy who fights as dirty as he did.

"The best is yet to come. If I fight the Marquez-Vasquez winner, you will see the real me."

Caballero, who at 5-foot-11 has rare height for a bantamweight, looked awkward at times, perhaps struggling with the 5-4 Lacierva, and referee Lawrence Cole was forced to repeatedly pull the fighters apart as Caballero kept holding Lacierva's arm to his body.

"I am very disappointed," said Lacierva, the former IBA champ who fights out of Santa Anita, Mexico. "I came to fight and all he did was throw elbows and hold me. He was holding me and hitting me all night. He's a good champion, but I'm very disappointed."

On the undercard, Jorge Paez, Jr. (16-1, 10 KOs) worked hard for a unanimous decision over Jaime Orrantia (10-20-4, 2 KOs) in a six-round lightweight bout.

Junior middleweight Alfredo Angulo (8-0, 6 KOs) scored a TKO victory over Taronze Washington (9-8, 5 KOs) after Washington didn't answer the bell for Round 4.

Undefeated Mexican lightweight Juan Castanda (11-0, 9 KOs) earned a six-round unanimous decision over Jose Magallon (5-4, 3 KOs) in the first bout of the evening.

In the final bout of the evening, Gabriel Rangel (4-1-2) handed bantamweight Jose Salazar his first lost with a four-round split decision.

binnie

08-06-2007, 03:01 AM

Originally posted by ALinChainz
You were right on both accounts dude.

It's nice when that happens, and, if you were to ask Mrs binnie, rare! LOL!

I enjoyed both fights, but Marquez-Vasquez in particular had me on the edge of my seat. Both warriors.

It seems in the lighter divisions the top dogs fight each other all the time, makes for great viewing.

Its just a shame that stops around 140lbs...

ALinChainz

08-07-2007, 11:25 AM

WBA Super-bantam Caballero will get blown out by either Marquez or Vazquez.

I was NOT impressed by him at all.

binnie

08-07-2007, 11:44 AM

Yeah, I would have to agree. Vazquez in particular will have way too much for him.

Mosely - Cotto is starting to get really hyped up, that could be a great fight if it happens. Age is definately on Cotto's side though. Mosely may be the most underated fighter of his generation, but the more I think about it, the more I think that Cotto will just be too young and fresh for him now. Still think it'd be a good fight though.

ALinChainz

08-07-2007, 12:04 PM

The problem I have always had with Mosely is that Vernon Forrest absolutely mowed him down twice. Forrest is decent, but not a "star".

I know some fighter have other fighters numbers, but he ended up being a big disappointment to me, much like Tito Trinidad.

Trinidad should have been an electric star after his win over De la Hoya, he got major lazy and faded fast.

binnie

08-07-2007, 12:31 PM

Originally posted by ALinChainz
The problem I have always had with Mosely is that Vernon Forrest absolutely mowed him down twice. Forrest is decent, but not a "star".

I know some fighter have other fighters numbers, but he ended up being a big disappointment to me, much like Tito Trinidad.

Trinidad should have been an electric star after his win over De la Hoya, he got major lazy and faded fast.

The problem with Trinidad was that he could only do one thing: fight. As a result he was predictable and easy to train for, and consequently beatable by decent boxers. I always thought that De La Hoya won that fight, but lets not open that can of worms.

Forrest did have Mosely's number, but Mosely has beaten some stella fighters over the years. Although I can see your point about him never being a star. To my mind though, he's the only real fighter who has beaten De La Hoya convincingly. Twice. With the other guys who beat Golden Boy, there's always been a case, however slight, for it to have gone the other way. Not so with Mosely.

It's like Pacquinao had Barrera's number, but you can't deny that Barrera is an all time great; Foreman had Frazier's number, but Frazier is still a legend etc, etc...

Just a case of styles making fights I guess.

binnie

08-07-2007, 12:36 PM

The fight I'm really interested in now is Hollyfield vs Sultan for a heavyweight belt.

My heart wants Hollyfield to win this, and I think it is in the realms of possibility, but I think he's got an up-and-comer in front of him, and one who can bang.

How do you guys see this?

I see that Hollyfield has two options:

1) Keep Sultan at range with his jab and counterpunch, slowly wearing him down

2) Get inside, and get dirty. Use his head (literally) and power to overwhelm Sultan. Risky, but more likely to work in the middle rounds, IMO

binnie

08-10-2007, 04:16 AM

Cotto - Mosely is now officialy signed I believe.

That makes three classic fights in the not so distant future, along with:

Calzaghe - Kessler

Hatton - Mayweather

Finally, boxing is getting its act together and some of the top fighters are starting to face one another.

I've got a feeling that Cotto-Mosely might end up being the most spectacualr of all three. It just seems a classic boxer-fighter match up.

Anyone else psyched?

ALinChainz

08-13-2007, 09:51 PM

Felix Trinidad set to return from retirement, eyes Roy Jones Jr.

By TIM REYNOLDS, AP Sports Writer
August 13, 2007

DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Felix Trinidad doesn't speak English so well, yet made his position very clear.

Only one fighter could lure him from retirement: Roy Jones Jr.

"Roy Jones is one of the biggest and greatest champions ever in boxing," Trinidad said Monday. "But he's never faced a puncher like me."

He will in January, when the two stars meet at an undetermined site in what promoter Don King is already calling "the people's championship." Both have agreed to fight at 170 pounds -- 10 pounds more than Trinidad has ever carried into the ring, and five less than what Jones weighed when he beat previously undefeated Anthony Hanshaw last month.

"It's a unique, special event that this sport needs," Jones said. "If you can't put it on the line for this, then you can't put it on the line for anything. This is the type of thing you put it on the line for. The sport needs another megafight and that's what this is."

Trinidad hasn't fought since losing to Winky Wright in May 2005 and has only prevailed in two bouts in the last six years. But when King flew to Puerto Rico about two months ago to gauge his interest in a comeback, Trinidad quickly said he'd be open to a matchup with Jones.

"This is going to be one of the most thrilling events we've seen in boxing in many, many decades," King said. "This is about pleasing the people."

Trinidad signed his part of the contract Monday, and King said he'd move quickly to get a deal struck with Jones -- who flew down from Pensacola, Fla. only hours after Trinidad formally agreed to the deal.

"I don't understand how Tito thinks he's going to win," said Jones' adviser, McGee Wright. "But he's a fighter and that's what we like. If he didn't think he could win, he wouldn't be there."

Trinidad is a former welterweight, super welterweight and middleweight champion and a national hero in his homeland of Puerto Rico. He took 2 1/2 years off before beating Ricardo Mayorga in 2004, but was dominated when he met Wright seven months later.

He retired again after that fight, but whispers of a Trinidad-Jones possible matchup have been circling for months.

"Most fighters of Tito Trinidad's stature would want a warmup fight after being off for this long," King said. "Not Tito Trinidad."

There was a sense last year that Trinidad was considering coming back to fight Oscar De La Hoya -- which would have likely been a huge draw, given how close many thought their bout was in 1999 when Trinidad won a controversial decision for the WBC and IBF welterweight titles.

Over the weekend, De La Hoya reiterated that he doesn't expect that rematch -- which has been talked about for years -- to ever happen, since Trinidad likely isn't interested in dropping to his weight class.

"Sure, I'd fight Tito if he comes down to 154," De La Hoya said. "I think there's probably more realistic opportunities for me with other fights, though."

Felix Trinidad Sr., the fighter's father, manager and trainer, said he probably wouldn't have agreed to another comeback try unless the potential fight had the marquee appeal he believes a Trinidad-Jones matchup will carry.

And he's not worried about the layoff, either.

"I can be proud to bring my son into battle with a giant such as Roy Jones," the elder Trinidad said. "My son's a legend, but so is Roy Jones. And Roy Jones has been there forever. He's made an indelible mark on people around the world."

Trinidad is 42-2; Jones Jr. is 51-4. Neither plans to fight before January matchup, and King hopes to have an exact date and site set soon.

"It's going to be a very big fight. A huge fight," Trinidad said. "I hear from Roy that somebody has to go down in this fight. I have to tell you Roy, it's going to be you. I always come to win."

AP Sports Writer Greg Beacham contributed to this story.

binnie

08-16-2007, 02:45 AM

Wow!

Much as I like Tito, Roy Jones should walk this at that weight: he's the bigger guy, and a good big guy beats a good little guy.

The only chance I see Tito having is that Roy doesn't move anything like he used to, so he's a lit easier to hit. But I see Roy being able to keep him at range most of the time.

Looking forward to it though, although I'd rather of seen him back in with De La Hoya.

ALinChainz

08-18-2007, 10:45 PM

Abraham's fifth IBF middleweight defense ends with a knockout of Gevor in 11th round

August 18, 2007

BERLIN (AP) -- Unbeaten Arthur Abraham knocked out Khoren Gevor in the 11th round to retain his IBF middleweight title on Saturday.

Abraham (24-0, 19 KOs) punished his fellow Armenian-born German with shot after shot during the final four rounds.

In the 11th, Abraham's short uppercut spun Gevor's head around sharply and lifted him in the air. Gevor sagged onto his knees then toppled onto his back, going down for the first time in his career.

"He's a warrior, he showed that," Abraham said. "But anybody that wants my title has to be punished."

Gevor, the fifth-ranked challenger, gave Abraham trouble early. He pressed from the opening seconds and threw blows nonstop.

The fight turned when Abraham caught him flush with a right in the seventh. In the next round, Abraham hit Gevor several times with flurries -- a dozen shots on one occasion.

"I thought of throwing in the towel, but he wanted to show people," trainer Fritz Smudek said of Gevor. "He made one big mistake. After that big shot, he tried to slug it out."

Gevor (27-3, 15 KOs) only other losses was the result of cuts.

Abraham will fight in the United States next year, according to his management.

He is a popular boxer in Germany with a knack for exciting fights, including a successful defense last year against Edison Miranda after his jaw was broken twice early in the bout.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=ap-abraham-gevor&prov=ap&type=lgns

DlocRoth

08-18-2007, 11:45 PM

Originally posted by binnie
Wow!

Much as I like Tito, Roy Jones should walk this at that weight: he's the bigger guy, and a good big guy beats a good little guy.

The only chance I see Tito having is that Roy doesn't move anything like he used to, so he's a lit easier to hit. But I see Roy being able to keep him at range most of the time.

Looking forward to it though, although I'd rather of seen him back in with De La Hoya.

Don't underestimate the puncher's chance, Bin.......

But true, Roy should walk.....

ALinChainz

08-19-2007, 02:09 PM

Chris John defeats Zaiki Takemoto to retain WBA featherweight title

August 19, 2007

KOBE, Japan (AP) -- Indonesia's Chris John defeated Japan's Zaiki Takemoto on a technical knockout Sunday to retain his WBA featherweight title.

The 27-year-old John improved to 40-0-1 with 21 knockouts. Takemoto dropped to 21-7-1 with 12 knockouts.

John sent Takemoto to the canvas in the sixth and eighth rounds with a series of punches to the head of the Japanese challenger, who wasn't able to continue after the ninth round.

John, who successfully defended his title for the eighth time, opened a cut above Takemoto's left eye in the fourth round and wasn't seriously challenged by the Japanese boxer.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=ap-john-takemoto&prov=ap&type=lgns

binnie

08-21-2007, 03:26 AM

Originally posted by ALinChainz
Abraham's fifth IBF middleweight defense ends with a knockout of Gevor in 11th round

August 18, 2007

BERLIN (AP) -- Unbeaten Arthur Abraham knocked out Khoren Gevor in the 11th round to retain his IBF middleweight title on Saturday.

Abraham (24-0, 19 KOs) punished his fellow Armenian-born German with shot after shot during the final four rounds.

In the 11th, Abraham's short uppercut spun Gevor's head around sharply and lifted him in the air. Gevor sagged onto his knees then toppled onto his back, going down for the first time in his career.

"He's a warrior, he showed that," Abraham said. "But anybody that wants my title has to be punished."

Gevor, the fifth-ranked challenger, gave Abraham trouble early. He pressed from the opening seconds and threw blows nonstop.

The fight turned when Abraham caught him flush with a right in the seventh. In the next round, Abraham hit Gevor several times with flurries -- a dozen shots on one occasion.

"I thought of throwing in the towel, but he wanted to show people," trainer Fritz Smudek said of Gevor. "He made one big mistake. After that big shot, he tried to slug it out."

Gevor (27-3, 15 KOs) only other losses was the result of cuts.

Abraham will fight in the United States next year, according to his management.

He is a popular boxer in Germany with a knack for exciting fights, including a successful defense last year against Edison Miranda after his jaw was broken twice early in the bout.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=ap-abraham-gevor&prov=ap&type=lgns

I really like watching Abraham, he is a commited fighter. I'd love to see him fight Pavlick, it would be an explosive fight.

ALinChainz

08-21-2007, 12:00 PM

It would be and Pavlik may face him if he wins.

binnie

08-22-2007, 03:47 AM

Originally posted by ALinChainz
It would be and Pavlik may face him if he wins.

You mean if Pavlick beats Taylor? Much as I like Pavlick, I can't see that happening: I think Taylor is totally overrated but will still have a little too much movement for Pavlick, he'll hit and run all night to points victory. I hope I'm wrong

If Taylor wins, there is talk of him taking the winner of Calzaghe-Kessler.

Pavlick-Abraham would be a good fight though.

ALinChainz

08-22-2007, 10:31 AM

Actually Bin ... I'm picking Pavlik in the upset. He was that impresive against Miranda and my thinking is that with Taylor already deciding to leave the division, he is looking to figts down the road.

I have not liked the way taylor has looked since his Hopkins fights.

binnie

08-23-2007, 03:20 AM

Originally posted by ALinChainz
Actually Bin ... I'm picking Pavlik in the upset. He was that impresive against Miranda and my thinking is that with Taylor already deciding to leave the division, he is looking to figts down the road.

I have not liked the way taylor has looked since his Hopkins fights.

I agree that Taylor has looked shody since the Hopkins fights, and how he got a "draw" against Winky I'll never know. Having said that, I think that he was lucky to get the decisions against Hopkins both times, but I can see a case the other way.

I just think Taylor has been in with the better oposition - Pavlick's tough, but it's easy to look good against fighters of the ilk of Miranda. I just think that Taylor will present too many problems for him, although I'd like Pavlick to win.

I see his best tactic to be creating angles and throwing punches from there - Taylor struggles to cope with that.

binnie

08-28-2007, 03:26 AM

Pretty Boy the Dancing Boy?

From doghouse boxing

Some news has hit the internet before its scheduled intent. The hit TV Show, 'Dancing With the Stars' is set to announce it's official cast list for it's upcoming season on Wednesday morning's "Good Morning America."

However on Monday, it looks like website TMZ.com has beaten the TV Show to the punch and has gone ahead and released a leaked list of celebrity contestants.

The website TMZ.com reports boxing's pound for pound King, Floyd Mayweather Jr. will be one of the dancing contestants on the popular show.

Floyd Mayweather Jr, who is set to face Ricky Hatton later this year, will join the cast, which reportedly will be 90210's Tori Spelling and Jennie Garth.

Also included in the televised dancing contest will be, model Gisele Bundchen and Cheetah Girls' Sabrina Bryan.

Jane Seymour and Nia Peeples are also expected to be part of the contest.

As for the men who will be joining, aside from Floyd Mayweather Jr, Wayne Newton, billionaire Mark Cuban and Backstreet Boys brother Aaron Carter. Add to the list, Lou Ferrigno, Richard Quest and
Helio Castroneves.

The new season is set to premiere on ABC,

Sept. 24 at 8 p.m.

binnie

08-29-2007, 03:05 AM

I just can't imagine Floyd in a gay dancers outfit.

Actually, he looked pretty funny in all the gangster shit he used to wear :)

binnie

08-29-2007, 03:15 AM

Let's have some predictions for the big fights coming up:

Manny Pacquio TKO Barrera in the late rounds.

I'm a big Barrera fan, but he's had too many wars to win this one. However, if Manny isn't focussed like his last fight, then Barrera will win.

Taylor UD Pavlick.

Not been impressed win Jermain "lucky boy" Taylor since the Hopkins fight, but I think he will up his game here to silence his critics. Unless Pavlick can develop angles, and get Taylor against the ropes I just don't see him winning. That being said, if Jermain doesn't up his game he's going to take a beating.

Holyfield UD Sultan Igbramiov (yes, I spelt it wrong).

I want Holyfield to win this, I really do and this prediction is more heart than head. If Holyfield boxes smart and keeps at range, and then ties Sultan up when he comes in then he will win. I'm not too sure he can beat this guy if they decide to trade punches.

Cotto UD Mosely.

Mosely is an amazing fighter, and he is as fast as hell. But he is also old, and hasn't been in with anyone who works and fights like Cotto for quite some years, so I'm going for an upset here.

Mayweather UD Hatton.

My heart says "Hatton's gonna get close, he's going to throw some of those crippling bodyshots, and spend all night with his head on Floyd's chest, eventaully wearing him down." But my head knows that ain't going to happen. Floyd will move around him and throw four, five, six punch combinations to his head all night. And Ricky will take them all night, and just keep coming. The sad thing is that I just don't think that Hatton comes forward fast enough to get near enough to Mayweather. I hope that I am wrong :)

I'm not going to predict Kessler-Calzaghe as it's the only one I really care about, and don't want to jinx it :D

I think that we are in for some good fights though...

binnie

09-10-2007, 07:05 AM

Junior Witter retained his WBC light-welter title on Friday, and I thought he looked really impressive.

He's the one man in that division who could really challenge Ricky Hatton, and he's been calling him out for years.

That would be a huge fight over here.

Despire an early carreer loss of Zab Judah, Witter has been a solid fighter; not always spectacular, but solid nonetheless.

One to watch in the future.

binnie

09-24-2007, 08:51 AM

TAYLOR CHALLENGES CALZAGHE. From http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/

by Peter Shuttleworth, Wales On Sunday

JERMAIN TAYLOR last night handed Joe Calzaghe the perfect multi-million pound incentive to destroy Mikkel Kessler.

Taylor has ‘promised’ Calzaghe a bumper transatlantic ‘mega-fight’ as reward if the Welsh hero KOs Kessler in their super-middleweight unification showdown in six weeks time.

American ace Taylor is considering a trip to Cardiff to be ringside at The Millennium Stadium to show he is serious about clashing with Calzaghe next year – on either side of the Atlantic.

Taylor’s promoter Lou DiBella will demand £3m from Calzaghe’s boss Frank Warren to persuade undisputed middleweight champ Taylor to step up a weight for the big bucks bonanza.

“If the money was right, I’d pack up the wife and kids and get on the first plane to the UK,” said Taylor.

“Joe Calzaghe is one of the world’s top, top fighters and those are the guys I want to seek and destroy.

“He is a stylish southpaw with substance; he’s a great boxer but I will never shy away from fighting anyone.”

Taylor, 28, lays his middleweight titles on the line next weekend against Kelly Pavlik in Atlantic City, but should both and he and Calzaghe’s unbeaten records remain intact, Taylor is demanding the match be made.

Taylor was Calzaghe’s top target for his November 3 show and the record-breaking WBO super-middleweight king was due at ringside for Taylor’s last fight against Cory Spinks in May.

But, although doing promotional work in New York the day before, Calzaghe decided against travelling to Memphis at the 11th hour as Taylor’s camp priced themselves out of the market.

Taylor, though, insists: “Taylor against Calzaghe would be a big money fight as it is not just two of the world’s top pound-for-pound fighters, but USA versus the UK and that’s always a special occasion.”

binnie

09-24-2007, 08:55 AM

I have to say that the current war of words between Hatton and Mayweather is laughable.

These two are not cut out to be wordsmiths, lol.

I know they're trying to sell the fight but it does make it seems like more of circus event, IMO...

binnie

09-24-2007, 08:56 AM

From bbc.co.uk/sport

De la Hoya wants to fight Hatton

De la Hoya wants three more fights before hanging up his gloves
Boxing legend Oscar de la Hoya plans to put his retirement on ice and set up a showdown with Ricky Hatton next year.
The 34-year-old American has mapped out a three-fight plan before quitting boxing for good and it could end with him facing Briton Hatton next autumn.

De la Hoya's plan needs Hatton to beat Floyd Mayweather in their upcoming clash on 8 December in Las Vegas.

"Let's put it this way, I'm crossing my fingers for Hatton," De la Hoya told BBC1's Inside Sport.

"I believe that Ricky Hatton has a wonderful shot."

De la Hoya's Golden Boy company is promoting the sell-out clash between Mayweather and Hatton at the MGM Grand Arena.

But he still has plans to continue his career inside the ring.

It isn't out of the question that I'll meet Ricky Hatton next year

Oscar de la Hoya

"I'm not retired and I believe that my body can still handle the big fights," he said.

"I want to fight three times next year, with two big fights in May and September. It isn't out of the question that I'll meet Ricky Hatton next year.

"I'm used to fighting once a year. I'm at the tail-end of my career but I feel that if I can have one tune-up fight first, get the ring-rust out of me, get into the rhythm of things, then I can have two other big fights in May and September.

"Then I think we'll be good for hanging up those gloves and calling it a career."

Mexican-American hero De la Hoya has won 10 world titles in six divisions across 43 fights and suffered just five defeats in his illustrious career, all of them to genuine top-grade campaigners in their respective weight divisions.

His last win came against Ricardo Mayorga for the WBC light middleweight title in May 2006, but he subsequently lost the belt in the richest fight of all time to Mayweather, almost a year to the day.

ALinChainz

09-24-2007, 10:53 AM

Youre right Bin ... but I wish Hatton didn't hold so much.

The more I watch him, the more it bothers me.

I think Pavlik has a good shot, as it seems like Taylor is looking past him.

I say the Mayweather-Hatton and Calzaghe-Kessler are the best of the lot, but all good fights indeed and looking forward to them.

binnie

09-24-2007, 11:35 AM

Originally posted by ALinChainz
Youre right Bin ... but I wish Hatton didn't hold so much.

The more I watch him, the more it bothers me.

I think Pavlik has a good shot, as it seems like Taylor is looking past him.

I say the Mayweather-Hatton and Calzaghe-Kessler are the best of the lot, but all good fights indeed and looking forward to them.

The more I think about it, the more I think that Pavlick has a GREAT shot: I'm no longer as confident that Taylor will win as, like you say, he is looking past Pavlick, and clearly has trouble making 160 these days.

Hatton does hold a lot, but sometimes you've got bend rules to win fights: Ali used to lean on his opponents a lot, or rest his left hand on their face to measure them up; Holyfield buts A LOT etc etc....

It's easy to criticise the other way and say that guys like Hopkins and Mayweather rely on their skills too much and don't really fight enough - I know that's not illegal, but it makes for an equally dull fight.

If I was Hatton going into this one, I'd come in, grab hold of Mayweather, butt-him, elbow-him, do anything to get the upper hand. I really think that rule bending is an accepted part of most sports, the key is not to get caught, lol....

Having said that, Hatton could take a lump-hammer into the ring and still loose this fight: Mayweather will beat him all night, and Ricky will keep comin' - at the end on round 12 he will have a champion's heart with no championship belt.

ALinChainz

09-28-2007, 02:35 PM

Report: Boxer Mosley accused of doping

September 28, 2007

NEW YORK (TICKER) -- If a report by SI.com turns out to be true, the story of "Sugar" Shane Mosley is going leave a sour taste in the mouths of boxing fans everywhere.

According to the report published Friday, Mosley used Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative steroids "the clear" and "the cream" as part of a doping regimen before a 2003 fight against Oscar De La Hoya.

The report stated that BALCO investigator Jeff Novitzky alleged that Mosley began using those two drugs, as well as EPO, two months before the light middleweight championship fight won by Mosley.

Mosley, a BALCO client, was subpoenaed in the investigation and testified before the grand jury in 2003. He has denied doping and has never tested positive.

According to SI.com, evidence seized during the BALCO raids showed Mosley had blood work done to measure his hematocrit level, the volume of red blood cells, at 44.

In a calendar with his file, the date of July 26 was circled, accompanied by the word "start" and the letter "e," the web site reported, and the boxer's level increased to 52.2 by August 8.

"Most men are in the low 40s," anti-doping expert Dr. Gary Wadler said in the report. "Anything over 50 is considered off the charts."

According to the calendar, Mosley's final dose of EPO was administered on September 8, five days before the fight.

Blood doping has been an increasing problem in cycling and running, where athletes have boosted red blood cells to increase the capacity to carry oxygen to the muscles.

Mosley is scheduled to fight Miguel Cotto on November 10 in a WBC welterweight title bout.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=txmosleybalco&prov=st&type=lgns

DlocRoth

09-28-2007, 03:41 PM

Pavlik all day, babay.

ALinChainz

09-28-2007, 03:45 PM

I agree. Pavlik is going to be a bitch for Taylor.

And I wonder what Oscar's opinion is on this news about Mosely, he helped him get ready for Mayweather.

DlocRoth

09-28-2007, 11:03 PM

Yeah, Oscar will have to wash his hands of him. Too bad, Mosley helped get him into great shape.....

Not to mention..will he comment at all about their fight?

ALinChainz

09-28-2007, 11:22 PM

Would seem so .... Oscar cries foul everytime he loses.

ALinChainz

09-29-2007, 11:22 PM

Younger Hearns stays unbeaten by stopping Kamya

By DAVID PORTER, Associated Press Writer

September 29, 2007

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) -- Middleweight Ronald Hearns remained undefeated by stopping Robert Kamya in the first round Saturday night on the undercard of the Jermain Taylor-Kelly Pavlik middleweight title bout.

Hearns (16-0), son of former middleweight champion Thomas Hearns, showed off his speed and punching ability from the opening bell and sent Kamya (16-8) to the canvas twice, first with a straight right and later with a left hook.

After the second knockdown, referee Sam Viruet stopped the fight at 2:42.

Kamya became the 13th of Hearns' 16 opponents to fail to go the distance.

Thomas Hearns, a seven-time champion at divisions ranging from welterweight to cruiserweight, last fought in 2006.

In other bouts Saturday, welterweight Carlos Quintana returned to the scene of his only defeat and easily stopped Christopher Henry of Barbados at 2:46 of the fourth round to improve to 24-1.

The last time Quintana fought in Boardwalk Hall was last December when he lost to Miguel Cotto for the vacant WBA title.

Two Philadelphia heavyweights won bouts on the undercard. Robert Hawkins (22-9) won a unanimous decision over Terry Smith (30-4) of Little Rock, Ark. Smith has lost three of five fights since winning eight in a row on the heels of a loss to Calvin Brock in May 2004.

Hawkins had lost six of seven bouts.

In the evening's other heavyweight bout, Chazz Witherspoon improved to 20-0 -- barely breaking a sweat -- by stopping Ron Guerrero of Corpus Christi, Texas, in the fifth round.

Earlier in the evening, light heavyweight Omar Sheika (27-8), of Paterson, N.J., twice hit Tiwon Taylor below the belt, the second time knocking Taylor through the ropes and nearly onto the first row.

Though Taylor (26-14-1), of Greensboro, N.C., fought gamely, he lost when the fight was stopped at 2:25 of the fourth round.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=ap-taylor-pavlikundercard&prov=ap&type=lgns

ALinChainz

09-30-2007, 10:39 AM

Taylor-Pavlik

round-by-round

By Kevin Iole

Sunday, Sep 30, 2007 3:06 am EDT

ROUND 1

Taylor comes out fast and throws an overhand right.

Pavlik connects with a jab and a right. Taylor is firing hard shots. They're locked up in the center of the ring as the pace slows just a bit halfway through.

Taylor lands a double left and a right. Pavlik comes back with a hard right, but Taylor answers. Pavlik connects with a left-right.

Taylor's round, 10-9

ROUND 2

They're fighting rough inside as the round begins.

Right hand by Taylor hurts Pavlik. Taylor lands several punches in a combination and Pavlik goes down.

Right hand by Taylor staggers Pavlik again. Taylor is teeing off big-time. Pavlik is in serious jeopardy.

Taylor lands a left and then a right. There are 30 seconds left and Pavlik may not make it. Pavlik is bleeding from the nose and mouth as the round ends.

Taylor's round, 10-8

ROUND 3

Right hand by Pavlik early backs Taylor into a corner and wobbles the champion. Pavlik lands a left uppercut. Taylor counters with a right and then they clinch. Pace is slower than in the first two rounds.

Combination to the body and head by Pavlik backs Taylor up. He seems a little wobbly. Great counter left-right off the ropes by Taylor fights his way out of the corner.

Pavlik's round, 10-9

ROUND 4

They're trading jabs. Pavlik is moving forward. Taylor rips a hook low and is warned by referee Steve Smoger.

Pavlik backs Taylor to a corner, but Taylor fights his way out. Not many punches of significance are being landed. Hard right off the ropes from Taylor. Taylor lands a jab. Pavlik lands a right, but Taylor fires back with a hard right.

Taylor's round, 10-9

ROUND 5

Pavlik is jabbing at Taylor, who is circling and not punching much as the round begins. Taylor flicks his jab as Pavlik stalks forward. Lead right by Taylor lands. Taylor double-hooks to the body. Hard right by Taylor. Taylor jabs again. Pavlik isn't throwing nearly enough punches. Good combination by Taylor at the bell.

Taylor's round, 10-9

ROUND 6

Pavlik is stalking but not throwing. It's become a persistent problem. Hard jab by Taylor and then a double hook to the body by Taylor. Right hand by Pavlik backs Taylor to the ropes. Right hand by Pavlik doesn't seem to faze Taylor. Taylor's left eye is swelling. Right hand by Taylor lands. Taylor pops a few jabs. Taylor lands a right and a hard left.

Taylor's round, 10-9

ROUND 7

Right hand by Pavlik lands. They're swapping jabs.

Taylor comes out of a crouch and lands a right and then a left. Pavlik tries to find the range for his right. Hard jab by Pavlik. Another jab and then a right by Pavlik. Hard right by Pavlik and Taylor is badly hurt. Taylor takes two rights and Pavlik forces him to the corner. Pavlik fires and Taylor slumps down the ropes. Referee Steve Smoger stops the fight and Kelly Pavlik wins the WBC-WBO middleweight titles.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/blog/box_experts/post/Taylor-Pavlik-round-by-round;_ylt=ApRk1XdK86z0Cg8mDmbe1VuUxLYF?urn=box,47 292

ALinChainz

09-30-2007, 10:41 AM

This fight was tough to score. HBO's Harold Lederman had Pavlik up but a point or two but the judges at ringside all had Taylor up by at least three byt the time of the stoppage.

A war.

binnie

10-01-2007, 01:25 PM

Originally posted by ALinChainz
This fight was tough to score. HBO's Harold Lederman had Pavlik up but a point or two but the judges at ringside all had Taylor up by at least three byt the time of the stoppage.

A war.

I missed this fight due to unforseen circumstances.

However, I have sinced seen it and yes, it was a war. As soon as Pavlick got his jab working though, it started to swing his way. Seemed to me that Taylor was really tired - perhaps because he struggles to make 160 - but that's not to take anything away from Pavlick who fought like a motherfucker.

Anyone know if there will be a rematch I'm sure I read somewhere about a rematch clause in the contract, but at 168 rather 160.

binnie

10-01-2007, 01:27 PM

I hope its not true about Mosely, I really do...

ALinChainz

10-01-2007, 01:49 PM

What surprised me about it was Pavlik, more than once, tried to "showboat" and be a tough guy and stick his tongue out and his chin out and he got caught, knocked down, and damn near ... damn near ... knocked out.

I don't know how he held on, and I also would not have been surprised if it had been stopped, given the nature of the stoppage. I wish they would have let Taylor at least try to get up. Taylor must have been hurt enough though because he conceded the knockout in the dressing room.

binnie

10-03-2007, 07:11 AM

Originally posted by ALinChainz
What surprised me about it was Pavlik, more than once, tried to "showboat" and be a tough guy and stick his tongue out and his chin out and he got caught, knocked down, and damn near ... damn near ... knocked out.

I don't know how he held on, and I also would not have been surprised if it had been stopped, given the nature of the stoppage. I wish they would have let Taylor at least try to get up. Taylor must have been hurt enough though because he conceded the knockout in the dressing room.

I know what you mean, but the other side of me says that there's no point some guy getting really hurt by being allowed to continue.

Pavlick showed real stupidity in showboating, but real heart and courage in getting up. The two guys were fairly evenly matched in terms of skills and power, but it was because Pavlick wanted it more that he won: that's what's so great about boxing.

I'd like to see Pavlick take on Arthur Abraham next - that would be a hell of a fight, as Abraham likes nothing more than a war!

I think Pavlick stepping up to take on the winner of Calzaghe-Kessler would be too much for him at this stage, and it would leave the middleweights without a discernable star.

binnie

10-03-2007, 07:12 AM

Any of you guys seen the Contender III? Thoughts?

I'm glad they're doing the 168 division, as I've always thought that it should get more attention.

binnie

10-08-2007, 10:53 AM

Holyfield takes on Sultan Ibragimov this weekend. My heart wants Evander to win this (well, my heart actually wants him to quit boxing for his health) but my head says he can't largely because of the volume of punches that the Sultan throws.

Earler, I predicted a Holyfield win (going with my heart) on the understanding that he probably punches harder than anyone Sultan has faced, and also has WAY more experince and boxing nouse; his head movement has also been much better since his shoulder surgery, and he can now roll some punches.

But can he REALLY do it? Or am I living in a Rocky script?

I think I'm usually pretty good with boxing predictions (although I predicted Taylor over Pavlick, admitedly stating it would be close), but with a legend like Holyfield it is hard to be rational, I think the fact that I want him to win so much makes me believe that he can.

I suppose we'll see...

binnie

10-10-2007, 07:31 AM

Joe Calzaghe marks his 10th Anniversary as champion tommorrow.

Wonder if he'll still be one after Nov 3rd and Kessler.

binnie

10-10-2007, 01:00 PM

Barrera says goodbye to boxing (from canadianpress)

While Barrera says farewell to boxing, Pacquiao ready for new challenges
2 days ago

LAS VEGAS - Marco Antonio Barrera quietly signed autographs for eager fans, holding a pen in his left hand and his youngest daughter in his right arm.

Barrera's daughter curiously poked at the still-fresh cut on her daddy's right eye, fiddling away until the Mexican champion flinched ever so slightly.

Barrera wants to spend more time with his kids and less time in recovery. That's why the 33-year-old fighter, still a world-class competitor, but past his best nights, vows he's finished with boxing after losing a unanimous decision Saturday night in an entertaining rematch with Manny Pacquiao.

"This is my last fight inside this beautiful sport," Barrera said Saturday night while his trainer, Sendai Tanaka, quietly wept a few feet away. "I say goodbye to this beautiful sport, but I fought the best fighters. I fought my best tonight. I'm happy."

While many a brash boxer has reneged on a threatened retirement, Barrera doesn't seem to be bluffing. He's a serious, wealthy man who has never pretended to walk away before. Plus, Barrera probably sees he's not up to the lofty standard set by Pacquiao despite the Mexican champion's valiant effort in the rematch of their 2003 bout.

"He is a great champion," Pacquiao said. "I am very honoured to beat him."

In front of a spirited, nationalistic crowd at Mandalay Bay, Pacquiao failed to put Barrera on the canvas, the first time that Philippines' favourite son didn't register a knockdown in seven fights since his last loss to Erik Morales in March 2005.

Barrera never hurt Pacquiao, except for a shady blow while the referee separated them in the 11th round, leaving Pacquiao momentarily woozy against the ropes. The slight was forgotten when Pacquiao led the standing ovation for Barrera at their post-fight news conference.

Pacquiao's victory was another boon to his native Philippines, currently bedeviled by battles between government troops and Marxist and Muslim insurgents. Some troops were drawn away from combat duties so they could watch the bout, while millions of fans emptied Manila's usually packed streets.

Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's trainer, was content with almost every aspect of his easily distracted superstar's effort, though it's easy to sense Roach's mild frustration with the minor weaknesses that prevent Pacquiao from being essentially perfect.

"Manny's in-and-out motion and the feints slowed (Barrera) down a lot," Roach said. "Manny's footwork was too much for him. He was fighting a smarter fight. Speed and power is not enough to stay in this game forever. I want him to keep working."

While Barrera's skills might have slipped a bit, Pacquiao still seems to be at his peak, and he has plenty of options for his next step, including a move up to lightweight.

"We've been talking about it," Roach said, adding that Pacquiao gained 14 pounds between Friday's weigh-in and fight night. "I think he definitely can fight at 135. It's getting a little harder to get down to 130, and I think he's ready to step up."

Pacquiao's most intriguing future prospect at 130 pounds might be a rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez, who fought Pacquiao to an entertaining draw in 2004.

Pacquiao knocked down Marquez three times in the first round of that fight, but Marquez rallied fiercely. Marquez faces Rocky Juarez on Nov. 3 in Las Vegas in a bout that was postponed from Sept. 14. Since promoters Oscar De La Hoya and Bob Arum have settled their long-standing legal battles, Pacquiao might be eager to take on another Golden Boy power.

Joan Guzman also appeared at Saturday night's news conference to publicly challenge Pacquiao, though Arum said Guzman should be worrying more about his 130-pound fight with Humberto Soto on Nov. 17.

Both would be compelling matchups for Pacquiao, as would David Diaz, the WBC champion who knocked Morales into retirement in August.

"I'll be happy whoever I fight," Pacquiao said. "I don't want to compare my talent. I just think I'm an ordinary fighter, that I can fight a good fighter or the best fighter. I don't think I'm the best."

binnie

10-10-2007, 01:03 PM

I didn't see the Barrera-Pacquiao fight, but it sounds like it was a lot more one-sided than the first one (which I had pretty even, maybe Barrera even edged it in my eyes).

An all time great, no doubting that, and a true warrior - Barrera will be missed.

binnie

10-10-2007, 01:11 PM

Sam Peter beats Jerry McCline (from eastside boxing)

Duva Boxing's Samuel Peter Shows "Heart of a Champion" In Victory Over Jameel McCline

New York, October 9—“Samuel Peter has the heart of a champion, great fighters have the heart to win when they are down,” said Dino Duva, promoter of the WBC interim Heavyweight Champion following his fight at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night.

Peter, the knockout artist known as the Nigerian Nightmare, was having a nightmare of his own, when challenger Jameel McCline knocked him to the canvas late in the second round, and several times in the third. But Peter rose from the canvas, dusted himself off, and proceeded to dominate McCline the rest of the way. Add to the mix that Peter had badly injured his left hand during training camp, and you have an even more impressive performance.

“Sam, with a champion’s heart, went through with the fight in spite of the injury, unlike several champions who have pulled out of major fights recently,” said Duva.

Slugger has Fan-Friendly Style

“Sam’s not at his full potential yet, not even close,” said Duva. “You witnessed the beginning of a new era in the heavyweight division, the Sam Peter era, a new era of excitement and explosion in the heavyweight division. Sam’s an exciting slugger and brawler, who loves to mix it up. It’s a style that the fans and television love. His style will have fans flocking back to the heavyweight division.”

Peter now has his sights set on unifying the heavyweight division. In line are Oleg Maskaev, the original opponent for the Garden fight before an 11th hour back injury forced him to the sidelines, IBF champion Wladimir Klitschko, WBA titlist Ruslan Chagaev, and the winner of the upcoming WBO championship featuring Sultan Ibragimov against Evander Holyfield.

“Sam’s goal is to fight all of the champions and become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world,” said Duva. “He clearly showed on Saturday that he’s the man to do it. You can’t keep a good man down.

“We are honored and grateful to the WBC and Jose Sulaiman to be the first to recognize Sam as the heavyweight champion.”

binnie

10-10-2007, 01:13 PM

I feel that I can state with a great confidence that Sam Peter will never be the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. Shannon Briggs has more chance.

binnie

10-14-2007, 12:50 PM

Anyone see the Diaz-Diaz lightweight fight last night?

Juan Diaz annihilated Julio, because the latter allowed himself to be drawn into a brawl rather than using his height and footwork advantages. I was pretty confident than Juan would win becasue he is so relentless and has so much power, but I didn't think that Julio would be so easy to beat. The fight was stopped in the 8th.

Juan Diaz vs Joel Casamayar would be a magnifienet fight, (I think JC would win but it would be tough). However, there is now talk about Amnny Pacquiana moving up to face Diaz. Both those guys are come forward punchers who fight relentlessly, so it would be a war. My head says Pacqaiano would win because I think that he is the best pound for pound fighhter on the planet, but we don't know how he woud cope at 135.

binnie

10-14-2007, 12:55 PM

Originally posted by binnie
Holyfield takes on Sultan Ibragimov this weekend. My heart wants Evander to win this (well, my heart actually wants him to quit boxing for his health) but my head says he can't largely because of the volume of punches that the Sultan throws.

Earler, I predicted a Holyfield win (going with my heart) on the understanding that he probably punches harder than anyone Sultan has faced, and also has WAY more experince and boxing nouse; his head movement has also been much better since his shoulder surgery, and he can now roll some punches.

But can he REALLY do it? Or am I living in a Rocky script?

I think I'm usually pretty good with boxing predictions (although I predicted Taylor over Pavlick, admitedly stating it would be close), but with a legend like Holyfield it is hard to be rational, I think the fact that I want him to win so much makes me believe that he can.

I suppose we'll see...

looks like I was living in a Rocky script!

I didn't buy this fight because I wanted to watch the Diaz's. However, the reports suggest that a brave Holyfield was beaten solidly on points 8 rounds to 4. Holyfield could n;t cope with Sultan's counterpunching, and could only get one shot off at a time (a sign of a shot fighter.)

What I had forgotten to take into account is that Evander has always struggled with Southpaws. Seems that he made a big mistkae this time by constantly circling onto Sultan's big left hand, rather than away from it. Maybe with better tactics he could have won...

It was a game performance against a world champ, and Holyfield aims to continue. That;'s carazy in my view - whose he going to fight? Klitchstcho would brutalize him, and I think Peter would have too much as well despite his recent shitty performance.

binnie

10-17-2007, 11:21 AM

For anyone who didn't see the Diazs' fight, here are some highlights. Very good once you get through the first three minutes of shitty music:

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BNyl-k1EeQ0"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/BNyl-k1EeQ0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>

Why Julio decided to stand toe to toe and not box behind his jab I'll never know...

binnie

10-17-2007, 11:36 AM

Here's Sam Peter impersonating Humpty-Dumpty in the McCline bout. Kudos to him for coming back and winning after this:

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/NmgwRN-OCIE"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/NmgwRN-OCIE" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>

binnie

10-29-2007, 06:21 AM

Calzaghe-Kessler this coming Saturday people!

I think this could well be the fight of the year, should be a killer.

binnie

10-29-2007, 07:05 AM

For me Calzaghe-Kessler is too close to call. I said a few pages back that I didn't want to jinx my boy (Calzaghe) by making a prediciton, and I stand by that (yes, I am a pussy!)

Opinion seems to be split two-ways.

1) The Calzaghe-sheep. These are the wholly biased boxing fans who think that this is going to be Calzaghe-Lacy II. It isn't. People who think this clearly know very little about boxing. Lacy was a very good fighter, potentially he could have been great: lots of power, good chin, strong, durable and accurate. But he got taken to school by someone far, far superior. But Kessler is nothing like Lacy, who just comes forward all night. Kessler likes to sit back, counter-punch, and prefers is opponent to come to him; he also has far, far better footwork that Lacy. How this will be Lacy II then I'll never know.

2) The Kessler-sheep. Kessler is going to blitz Calzaghe all the way home. Equally erroneous view. Kessler has never faced anyone like Joe, who is quick-footed, has unbelievable handspeed, and genuinely loves to go toe-to-toe. Joe will be too quick and work too hard to get "blitzed". Those who are arguing for a late KO may be closer to the point however, rounds 10-12 may be viable. The second arguemtn is that Joe Calzaghe slpas and can't hurt Kessler. Equally wrong. Lacy looked like a bus had hit him, so don't tell me Joe can't punch. Sure, because of his hand injuries he's had to alter his style (in the late 90s he could REALLY band, Chris Eubank said no-one ever hit him harder), but both Kessler and Calzaghe have a similar KO percentage.

There are a couple of variables: if Calzaghe has gotten old overnight then Kessler's work will be considerably easier, and if he damages his hands then I van't see the fight going the distance.

But these variables aside, I just think its too close to call. Calzaghe has faced guys like Kessler before: European style, big punching, great jab and fast feet. But he's never faced one guy that had all of these features (Kessler is a unique fighter, something really special). But then again, Kessler has never faced anyone like Calzaghe, and how he copes with the handspeed will be significant. For my money, this fight swings on how Kessler manages Calzaghe: if he can control the pace, and not allow himself to be overwhlemed and taken out of his comfort zone (what JC specializes in) then he stands an fantastic chance of winning.

Boxing wins either way: if Calzagje loses, we;ve had 10 years of a unique fighter who's beaten 6 other belt holders and done Britian proud. If Kessler loses, it'll only be a matter of time before he's champ again: once JC retires, he'll dominate the Super-mids, and maybe even the light-heavies, for as long as he wants to because there's no-one around to match his skill level and power.

I for one am looking forward to a classic.

DlocRoth

10-29-2007, 05:57 PM

Nice op. Bin.....

Can't wait for this fight.

I'm going with Joe.

binnie

10-29-2007, 06:06 PM

Originally posted by DlocRoth
Nice op. Bin.....

Can't wait for this fight.

I'm going with Joe.

Cheers Doc. We have a good fornight ahead of us for boxing: the Saturday after Calzaghe-Kessler, we have Mosely-Cotto. Two great fights, IMO. Thing is, over here I have to stay up till like 3am to watch them because of the time difference, so Mrs binnie is going to be pissed at me. I'm sure it'll be more than worth it though...

I'm going for Cotto in that one, although I wouldn't be surprised if Sugar Shane pulled it off...

DlocRoth

10-29-2007, 06:18 PM

I'm taking Cotto there too....

#1 He's the younger, better fighter....

#2 I never got into Shane...for some reason, I'm always rooting for the other fighter in all his fights.

binnie

10-30-2007, 04:35 AM

Originally posted by DlocRoth
I'm taking Cotto there too....

#1 He's the younger, better fighter....

#2 I never got into Shane...for some reason, I'm always rooting for the other fighter in all his fights.

Well, I've always been a huge Shane fan because of his speed and footwork, but I can see that he's not the kind of guy that makes people root for him. The age is the key reason why I'm picking Cotto, that and the fact he's hungirer, added with the fact that Mosely hasn't fought at 147 for a while and hasn't fought anyone in Cotto's league for years.

I see Cotto being too young and durable and wearing Mosely down. Cotto's a slow starter, so Shane will probably take the first 3 or 4 rounds and then be slowly ground down. I can't see Cotto landing shots cleanly enough on Shane to stop him, so I'd go for a points victory.

DlocRoth

10-30-2007, 07:12 PM

Yeah, I don't see a KO.....

Might be a boring ass fight....

But that's not stopping me from catching it.

binnie

10-30-2007, 07:19 PM

I don't think it'll be boring as Cotto is involved!

Might not be the classic it's being halied as though...

ALinChainz

11-03-2007, 10:27 PM

Kessler was tight, he respected Calzaghe's power where he really didn't have anything, and got outboxed.

I had it 116-112 for JC, and Kessler just didn't have it tonight.

binnie

11-03-2007, 10:30 PM

Just watched Calzaghe-Kessler.

Fuckin' great fight! Wasn't a "war" but it was never going to be: Kessler never gets involved in out-and-out punch ups, he's a banger but he uses his power from boxing. This was a fascinating fight, a fight fans fight rather than an awe-inspiring feat of endurance.

With the exception of the 4th and the 12th (which Joe gave away) Kessler really didn't do much. He managed to get some big shots off, but only one at a time.

Calzaghe is the fuckin' man: surely the greatest middleweight of all time, and now surely in the top 5 pound for pound fighters in the world. His speed was the crucial factor, and he was clearly punching harder than Kessler expected. Kessler just couldn't adapt to Calzaghe's style: as soon as Joe worked out that he could drive Kessler back through boxing rather than coming forward (as he did to his dteriment in the 4th) then it was game over.

Calzaghe has nothing left to prove at 168: unless Jermain Taylor or Kelly Pavlick move up then I think Joe will step up to 175. Jermain Taylor would get demolished like Lacy as all he can do is come forward. Pavlick wold be harder because he can create angles.

But bring 'em on, bring on fuckin anyone: including Bernard Hopkins. Now that would be fascinating!

Can y'all tell I'm buzzing? My boy just put on another boxing master-class.

binnie

11-03-2007, 10:34 PM

If Kessler can recover from this (mentally) then he will dominate 168 for a long, long time. Once again, I don't see Pavlick or Taylor proving any problem for him: his handspeed is incredible, and he throughs straight punches with BIG power in either hand.

His face is pretty badly marked up, and he didn't like body shots, bu Kessler is an the man at this division for the future. I also think that he could beat most of the guys at 175, Hopkins aside.

In the post-fight interview he also showed himself to have real class: no bad-mouthing, no excuses, just humbility in defeat.

With all the skills he has, he can beat the shit out of anyone - except Calzaghe of course!

binnie

11-03-2007, 10:38 PM

Originally posted by ALinChainz
Kessler was tight, he respected Calzaghe's power where he really didn't have anything, and got outboxed.

I had it 116-112 for JC, and Kessler just didn't have it tonight.

I had it 117-111, so we saw it pretty much the same. Kessler did perform badly, he's just never faced anyone as fast as Joe, or anyone who could back him up (after round 5 when JC started to box, it was pretty much game-over for Kessler).

I have to respect Mikkel for not giving up and showing great concetration and patience - the shots he caught JC with in the later orunds were the product of his heart and patience. He will be a great champion if he wants to be: he'll kill Taylor, Pavlick, Lacy or Lucien Bute. He's too powerful and too fast on his feet.

ALinChainz

11-03-2007, 10:51 PM

Would seem both are ready for light heavy and 175.

Although I think JC might have some options that Kessler will have to work for now.

JC wants Hopkins, and would give him trouble.

This fight was a downer because Kessler let the pressure get him, I couldn't shake the feeling that the lack of a "big fight" beat him before the opening bell.

binnie

11-03-2007, 11:14 PM

Originally posted by ALinChainz
Would seem both are ready for light heavy and 175.

Although I think JC might have some options that Kessler will have to work for now.

JC wants Hopkins, and would give him trouble.

This fight was a downer because Kessler let the pressure get him, I couldn't shake the feeling that the lack of a "big fight" beat him before the opening bell.

I thought this was a fascinating fight - not an all out war but I knew it wouldn't be as Kessler doesn't fight like that and knew that if he stood toe-to-toe with Joe, or came forward at him, he would get hit too many times. It was fascinating because of the boxing skills on display.

I thought the first six rounds were as good as I've seen in years. Within each round one guy would get the upper hand, and then the ohter would snatch it back. Right up until round seven it couldhave gone either way, even if Calzaghe was edging ahead.

I think the "big fight" nerves were part of it but I would have expected them to have been more of a factor early on. I would say that Kessler looked confident going into the ring though, he didn't look overwhlemed. The problem was that between rounds 7-11 he didn't know how to counter joe's speed and allowed himself to be put on the back foot (he can't fight going backwards). It was at this point that he started to look a little out of his depth.

Still think that Mikkel will acheive great things though.

binnie

11-03-2007, 11:14 PM

Cotto-Mosely next week, what a month for boxing!

binnie

11-05-2007, 08:16 AM

Ok, big fights this coming Saturday. Here are some predictions@

Mosely-Cotto.

I've said a couple of times that I'm picking Cotto for this, and I stand by it. However, I'm not as confident as I was. Cotto's questionable jaw comined with Mosely's speed, accuracy and power don't make for a happy Latino night! That been said, Cotto has always managed to pick himself up before. For me Cotto still wins, and gets stronger as the fight goes on, wearing Sugar Shane down. In his youth, Mosely would have walked this but a combination of age, not having fought at 147 for years and not having an opponent of this calibre for quite some times makes for a bitter night for the sweet one.

Carl Froch- Robin Reid.

This is for the Birtish 168 titile. Froch is no.1 contender for the WBC Super Middlesweight title and wants Joe Calzaghe badly. Reid is the former WBC super-middle weight champion (he won it 9 years ago) who pushed Joe Calzaghe has close to losing as nayone has (albeit largely because Joe boxed like shit, not because Reid was amazing.) Both are massive punchers. Reid's last noticalbe outing was 2005 against Jeff Lacy where some questionalbe refereeing made "Left-hook's" night a lot easier. Reid was stopped in the 8th. For me, Froch wins this with a late stoppage. Although Froch has questionable defence, I don't think that Reid is quick enough to capitalize on it these days. Should be a war in the early rounds, but the 36 year old Reid will eventually be worn down.

David Haye - Jean Marc-Mckormack (yes, I've spelt it incorrectly)

This one is for the Cruiserweight title of the world. once again both are big hitters. Haye has the advantage of youth, but has a glass jaw (why he's intneding to move up to heavyweight after this I'll never know...). Mckormack is a brutal fighter, and for all Haye's power and range fighting ability, I see the Mckormack taking him to the trenches and winning either by late stoppage or on points.

binnie

11-10-2007, 06:14 PM

Ok, Carl Froch beat the shit out of Reid, who was clearly a shot fighter.

Just finished watching Haye-Mccormack. Depsite the Frenchmen posing Haye problems early on, Haye knocked him out in spectacular fassion. Brutal.

Haye is going to move up to heavywieght, and with his punching power he might actually do something. I was really impressed with him tonight.

If he relinquishes the WBA and WBC titles which he's just won, it'll blow the Cruiserweight division wide-open. Good times.

binnie

11-11-2007, 05:47 AM

Cotto-Mosley was a great fight. Cotto won on points by three rounds, I was impressed by his chin and jab, and surprised that he was head hunting rather than working to the body.

Mosley put up a good fight, but his hands and feet aren't as fast as they used ti be. He's still a guy to be reckoned with, but he was worn down by Cotto's relentless stalking. Not the out and out war we were expecting, but a good fight nonetheless.

binnie

11-11-2007, 05:50 AM

Antonio Margarito was on fire - decked Golden Johnson in one round. He'll be back at the top of the welter's in no time.

I thought that Casamayora was lucky to get the points win - he looked old in his fight and didn't seem to want to be there. He is no longer the best lightweight in the world.

DlocRoth

11-11-2007, 10:04 AM

I was really impressed with Mosley.....he still has damn good skills....

I had Cotto winning, but I was never relaxed.....

Mosley hurt him a couple of times.......

A great fight.

DlocRoth

11-11-2007, 10:06 AM

And Casamayore got his ass kicked for 12 rounds......

I haven't seen too many bigger highway robberies than that.

Dreadful.

binnie

11-12-2007, 02:43 AM

Originally posted by DlocRoth
And Casamayore got his ass kicked for 12 rounds......

I haven't seen too many bigger highway robberies than that.

Dreadful.

Yeah, I thought he lost the last seven rounds at least. He was a legend but he's clearly gotten old over night.

Originally posted by DlocRoth
I was really impressed with Mosley.....he still has damn good skills....

I had Cotto winning, but I was never relaxed.....

Mosley hurt him a couple of times.......

A great fight.

Mosley's skills are still good, but his hands and feet aren't as quick as they once were and he doesn't bang as hard either (maybe the effect of moving down a weight?). He also looked tired from about the 7th

He is still a force to be reckoned with though, and I'm not taking anything away from Cotto by saying that he fought a past his prime fighter: Shane isn't shot by any means, but he's not the man who beat De La Hoya either.

Cotto should take on either the winner of Mayweather-Hatton, or the winner of Cintron-Williams. Both would be good fights.

binnie

11-12-2007, 05:09 PM

Here's David Haye knocking out Jean Marc McCormeck in rd 7. Powerful as hell.

<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/B19Re17fmWk&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/B19Re17fmWk&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

DlocRoth

11-12-2007, 10:42 PM

See, I don't know....

I'm not disagreeing with you, Bin....

But I thought Mosley looked strong....just not strong enough to beat Cotto.....

binnie

11-13-2007, 04:22 AM

Oh, he definately looked strong - he's not a shot fighter by any means.

But he's not what he used to be either: his hand and foot speed was noticably slower, and his power isn't as devastating. But he is still a world-class fighter, and would have beaten many other world-class welterweights. What I'm trying to say is, he's not the man who beat De la Hoya (luckily for Cotto), but he's still good enough to be amongst the best in the division.

I'm not taking anything away from Cotto, he beat a legend. Cotto is also getting better and better - his jab looked great, as did his movement. He still seems a little easy to hit, and if he tightens his defence a little then he will be a real force for quite some time.

DlocRoth

11-13-2007, 06:04 PM

Cotto's jab looked amazing...yep.

And youre right about Mosley....

When at one time you're considered for pound for pound status......

Anything less is uncivilized. ;)

binnie

11-15-2007, 07:57 AM

Originally posted by DlocRoth

When at one time you're considered for pound for pound status......

Anything less is uncivilized. ;)

Yep. Mosley would still have a competitive chance in a rematch, not that it'll ever happen. He's still in amongst the best fighters in the world, but he's probably only got 18 months to two years left.

binnie

11-15-2007, 08:03 AM

Well, there's plenty of chatter about Hopkins-Calzaghe. Hopkins has said he'll give Joe a facelift.

That made me laugh, as Hopkins has never given anyone a facelift: he's a boxing master, a technician, not a brawler. If I'm honest, I don't think this fight will happen because of $$$$: Hopkins wants the big paydays, and probably realizes that he'll get more by fighting the winner of Jones-Trinidad (which will be Jones, no question.) Seems to me that would be a pointless fight - neither Jones or Trinidad is a force is boxing anymore.

However, Roy Jones has also called Calzaghe out. Don't see that happening either. Not much point if it did anyway.

I actually think BHop-Calzaghe would be an intriguing fight. It's wouldn't be explosive because Hopkins fights so negatively. Depsite the fact that Hopkins if arrogant, annoying, brash, generally uninformed and consistently refers to himself in the third person (nothing quite screams "I'm an asshole" more than that) I have to admit that he has one of the best boxing brains EVER. And given the fact that he is still competitive at 43, I have to give him respect.

Calzaghe-Hopkins should happen, but I doubt it will.

binnie

11-19-2007, 05:44 AM

Did anyone see Guzman kick the living shit out of Soto for 12 rounds on Saturday? I was expecting a close fight, but it was incredibly one-sided. Soto just couldn't hit him consistently.

Very impressive. Guzman could do something spectacular if he gets the right fights....

DlocRoth

11-19-2007, 09:15 AM

The fight was close for maybe 4 rounds....a real slug fest.

Soto got worn out and then pounded.

binnie

11-19-2007, 10:32 AM

Originally posted by DlocRoth
The fight was close for maybe 4 rounds....a real slug fest.

Soto got worn out and then pounded.

I really enjoyed it too. Heavyweight's aside, boxing is in great shape at the moment....

binnie

11-20-2007, 04:29 AM

The buzz on the internet is that Hopkins is not going to fight Calzaghe. He's banking on Jones beating Trinidad (which he will) and re-living 1993.

Shame.

ALinChainz

11-20-2007, 12:13 PM

Bigger money must be, JC isn't a name anywhere but home still in my opinion.

jhale667

11-20-2007, 01:25 PM

Originally posted by binnie
He's banking on Jones beating Trinidad (which he will) and re-living 1993.

Shame.

A friend and I were debating that yesterday, and we ended up agreeing Jones may have the edge over Trinidad.
But neither of them are what they once were...

binnie

11-20-2007, 04:31 PM

Originally posted by jhale667
A friend and I were debating that yesterday, and we ended up agreeing Jones may have the edge over Trinidad.
But neither of them are what they once were...

Nope they certianly aren't. This will be too heavy a weight for Trinidad, and he's fought so infrequently over recent years that he will be a shadow of his former self, IMO

binnie

11-20-2007, 04:37 PM

Originally posted by ALinChainz
Bigger money must be, JC isn't a name anywhere but home still in my opinion.

Money is probably part of it: despite Joe now been ranked 2nd or 3rd on some Pound for Pound lists, I doubt that he's much of a household name Stateside. Having said that, HBO wants this fight, so you never know.

I think the other issue is that Hopkins knows that he would be in for a much easier night against Jones or Trinidad (it will be Jones). Roy is shot now, and Hopkins will be able to beat him in a chess match with relative ease: that might make his pain from 1993.

Calzaghe would push Hopkins to the limit, why risk that? He didn't want to fight him 3 years ago (he doubled his asking price), so what's changed now? It makes perfect business sense for Hopkins - if he loses, then he pretty much has to retire, so he may has well take a bigger payday and an easier night?

I don't see Pavlick stepping up for JC either: he might as well dominate the middleweights until he can't get down to 160lbs. I would.

DlocRoth

11-21-2007, 01:51 AM

Originally posted by jhale667
A friend and I were debating that yesterday, and we ended up agreeing Jones may have the edge over Trinidad.
But neither of them are what they once were...

Tito has been washed up since forever.....his last viable fight was the split decision over De La. That was a great fight, whomever anyone decided who won it.

He disappeared after that.

Roy Jr.? Who the fuck wants to watch him fight anymore?

Boooooring.

binnie

11-21-2007, 04:09 AM

Originally posted by DlocRoth
Tito has been washed up since forever.....his last viable fight was the split decision over De La. That was a great fight, whomever anyone decided who won it.

He disappeared after that.

Roy Jr.? Who the fuck wants to watch him fight anymore?

Boooooring.

Yeah, it's just a money fight, more soap opera than boxing. Roy hasnt been the same since he came down from heavyweight, it clearly fucked his body. And we now know that his chin isn't fantastic. BHop would walk a rematch, IMO...

binnie

11-22-2007, 09:42 AM

Vargas - Mayorga this weekend. Not a very important fight, and both are well past their prime, but given that they both loathe each other this may be well worth watching. I'll go with Vargas to win, but it'll be close.

Also Kermit Cintron is defending his welterweight belt against Jose Feliciano. Cintron should walk it, I think he has the potential to be the best in the division if he puts the effort in and keeps developing like he has in his last couple of fights. It's all about how bad he wants it I guess: like Paul Williams, nature has given him some significant advantages (height, power..)

DlocRoth

11-22-2007, 12:38 PM

I've always liked Vargas....I'll take him too...

Mayorga really isn't all that....never was....

Aside from him owning what's his name, who owns Sugar Shane who owns De La....lol....he doesn't impress me all that much.

Bot of em are washed up though, agreed.

But I'll be watching it,

binnie

11-22-2007, 04:36 PM

If memory serves, it goes something like this....

Mayorga beat Vernon Forrest in 2003 and Forrest later beat Mosely. However Mayorga was whooped by Trinidad and De La Hoya. He was also beaten by Cory Spinks of all people.

Vargas beat Winky Wirght and Ike Quarterly, but was beaten by Trinidad, De La Hoya and Mosely (twice.)

Both are under-achievers. But I think this will be a competitive fight, given the mutual dislike.

binnie

11-26-2007, 03:22 AM

Well, I got one right and one wrong.

Cintron pummelled Jose: he didn't "walk it", and I have major respects for Jose's durability.

Mayorga won. It was close, and a good fight. Not too sure where he goes from here though...

binnie

11-27-2007, 03:55 AM

Is everybody of the opinion that Mayweather will beat Hatton?

My heart wants Ricky to win but my head knows that its incredibly unlikely. I think that the fight will be closer than a lot of the pundits seem to think, but I can't see Floyd failing as I expect him to stay out of the way most of the night.

If he gives Ricky half a chance though, he'll be in trouble....

jhale667

12-01-2007, 06:31 PM

I agree with you...Floyd will try to win on points while running from Ricky for the entire fight.
If he attempts to stand and trade with Hatton, he's in serious trouble...

binnie

12-03-2007, 02:54 AM

Originally posted by jhale667
I agree with you...Floyd will try to win on points while running from Ricky for the entire fight.
If he attempts to stand and trade with Hatton, he's in serious trouble...

Yep. I actually hope Hatton manages to pin him down so Pretty Boy has to fight a bit, otherwise it could be a dull fight....

binnie

12-03-2007, 02:58 AM

Originally posted by binnie

Mayweather UD Hatton.

My heart says "Hatton's gonna get close, he's going to throw some of those crippling bodyshots, and spend all night with his head on Floyd's chest, eventaully wearing him down." But my head knows that ain't going to happen. Floyd will move around him and throw four, five, six punch combinations to his head all night. And Ricky will take them all night, and just keep coming. The sad thing is that I just don't think that Hatton comes forward fast enough to get near enough to Mayweather. I hope that I am wrong :)

Ok, that was my prediction from the 29th of August. I'm modifying it: I still think that Floyd will win but it'll be close - I think I underdestimated Ricky's durability. floyd might throw the fast combinations but I don't think they'll be enough to hold Ricky off him, and sooner or later he's going to catch Floyd with something. I'm expecting a great fight - Mayweather by split decision

binnie

12-03-2007, 04:02 AM

http://www.courant.com/sports/other/hc-foxboxsun1202.artdec02,0,6106605.story

Donaire, Forrest retain boxing crowns by TKO at Foxwoods
By TOMMY HINE | Courant Staff Writer
December 2, 2007
MASHANTUCKET - — It has reached the point where Antonio Tarver can't avoid Chad Dawson, New Haven's unbeaten WBC champion, much longer. He is fast running out of boxers.

Tarver disposed of another one Saturday night at Foxwoods, successfully defending his IBO light heavyweight championship when referee Steve Smoger stopped the bout after Danny Santiago was sent to the canvas for the second time with 2:53 left in the fourth round.

The crowd, which had booed the fighters for their lack of action at the end of the second round, chanted "Stop Ducking Dawson" after the fight was stopped. Tarver (26-4, 19 KOs) ignored the crowd, and he said he didn't hear the earlier boos.

"I didn't hear the crowd. I was too busy trying to execute," Tarver said.

"Early in the fight, Danny took some large shots. I broke him down early. I'm a patient fighter. That was our game plan."

Santiago's record fell to 29-4-1, with 19 KOs.

Tarver said he might like to defend against Jeff Lacy next.

"Just set 'em up, and I'll knock them down," Tarver said. "This is my division. Anyone who wants to be champion has to fight me."

Tarver's fight was the last of three title bouts.

In his first challenge since winning both the IBF and IBO flyweight championships, Nonito Donaire successfully defended the two titles when referee Charlie Dwyer stopped a scheduled 12-round bout with Luis Maldonado at 1:16 of the eighth. When Dwyer stepped in, blood streamed down both sides of Maldonado's disfigured face.

"Stop the fight," some fans yelled. Thirty seconds later, Dwyer did.

"I felt sluggish," Donaire (19-1, 12 KOs) said. "I had to rely more on my power than I usually do."

In the other title bout, Vernon Forrest successfully defended his WBC super welterweight title after he knocked down Michele Piccirillo for the third and final time, and referee Arthur Mercante stopped the fight at 2:21 of the 11th round.

"He hit me more than I expected," Forrest (40-2, 29 KOs) said. "He gave me some good work."

But it was Piccirillo (48-4, 30 KOs) who took the bulk of the punishment. Forrest sent Piccirillo to the canvas at the end of the sixth round and again in the ninth with an overhand right. When Forrest landed two more overhand rights to the head, Piccirillo went down and couldn't get to his feet before Mercante finished the count.

Maldonado (37-2-1, 28 KOs) was in trouble in the second round in his fight with Donaire when a clean punch opened a cut over the Mexican's left eye. An unintentional head butt in the third round opened a cut over Maldonado's right eye, and he bled profusely the rest of the fight.

In the fourth round, Donaire switched to southpaw, confusing Maldonado even more.

"He was fighting awkward," Donaire said. "If I had my legs in this fight, it would have been a lot easier for me. ... He's a great, strong fighter. I think tonight validated me. My next goal is to unify the titles and be the first Filipino to do so."

Maldonado was knocked to the canvas later in the seventh, but he was on his feet and took the standing eight count seconds before the bell.

One round later, it was over.

Unbeaten Tony Grano of Hebron (13-0-1) had a second-round TKO of John Battle in a scheduled six-round heavyweight bout on the undercard.

binnie

12-04-2007, 08:48 AM

I'm surprised that there aren't more takers on Hatton-Mayweather. Here's a little synopsis as I see it:

Myth number one - Hatton is a glorified club fighter/slugger:

That is clearly bullshit. Ok, Hatton doesn't have Floyd's skills (who does?), but he's hardly a one dimensional slugger like Baldomir (who Mayweather has been sparring with for this fight, significant?). Ricky can do a lot more than simply charge forward and bang; he creates angles, he has fast hands (again, not as fast as Flyod but few are) and he is an excellent inside fighter. I'm sorry, but it is just bullshit to claim that a guy who has won three 'world' titles at two weights is a club fighter (IBF light-welter against Tszyu, WBA welter against Collazo, and IBF light welter against Urango.)

Myth Number Two - Hatton hasn't fought anybody.

It is certainly true that he hasn't fought anyone like Floyd, but he's got a decent record and he is undefeated. Critics say that Tszyu was old and inactive (36 and hadn't fought in 13 months) and that Castilio was a shot fighter. Well, that's conjecture but one's things for sure: until Hatton, no-one had put Castilio away and that old tough guy wanted no more of the Hitman after four rounds. Old or not, that;'s impressive. And Tszyu was still regarded as one of the best PFP fighters in the world - it was only after he lost that he suddenly became 'past it'. Reminds me of how Jeff 'the 168lb Mike Tyson' Lacy suddenly became a bum once Calzaghe spanked him.
But anyone's record can be spun to look bad. Lets look at Mayweather. He beats Zab Judah, who was coming off a loss; he beats Baldomir, a joruneymen who got lucky against the erratic Judah and had never really done anything else of note; and he beats De La Hoya, himself a candidate for the "old" tag. If one were to be really nasty, they might point out that at 140 and 147 he never fought Tszyu, Margarito, and now Paul Williams or Cotto. Do I believe that any of this tarnishes how great a fighter Mayyweather is? No (although I don't think he's the best fighter in the world). Anyone's who's watched him should no he' a great champ, and the same thing shoudl be evident when you watch footage of Hatton.

Myth three - Hatton can't hack it at 147.

Well, he looked bloody awful against Collazo, but that was largely due to rushing up to the weight and being sick at the time. We will have to wait and see if he is better this time. One thing in his favour is that he hasn't ballooned between fights, and he's been nearer to fighting weight for weeks, actually listening to his nutritionist. We will have to wait and see.

Myth four - Hatton holds.

Well, it's actually true lol! As I said above, there's far more to Hatton than brawling. But I expect him to employ holding tactics on Saturday. Let's try and understand his thought process: "I am in the ring with one of the fastet, most skilled boxers in the world. Do I want to leave him room to do his thing, or do I want to get hold of him, wear him down, and make him fight my fight? Mmmm". Having said that, I think that LFoyd is a better inside fighter than people give him credit for so even if the fight does go this way it could be entertaining. Any Floyd fan who accuses this of been boring is really guilty of pot-kettle-black. It's almost always Floyd's opponetns who makes the fight.

I see this being a close fight. If Floyd's hands are as brittle as reports suggest then he is in for trouble because if he hasn't got the power to fend Ricky off then the Hitman will chase him all night, 3 minutes per round. Hatton seems really up for this, and I'm expecting a classic. Will Hatton be able to hit him? I think so. Will Mayweather cope with the pressure? I think it will bring out an even better Floyd. Mayweather's footwork will save the day for him on a close split decision.

DlocRoth

12-04-2007, 09:10 AM

On that HBO 24/7 shit, Mayweather has been playing up how badly broken down his body is....especially his hands.

Everybody here knows I have been slurping Floyd for years...and I won't stop now....

BUT...he may be in for a beat down. Can't believe I said that.

Having said that, ALL Floyd does is train. He'll be ready. He'll probably bust his right hand again, and still dance around and tap Hatton all night. Then get the decision, and people will boo because it wasn't exciting enough.

binnie

12-04-2007, 10:25 AM

Originally posted by DlocRoth

BUT...he may be in for a beat down. Can't believe I said that.

Having said that, ALL Floyd does is train. He'll be ready. He'll probably bust his right hand again, and still dance around and tap Hatton all night. Then get the decision, and people will boo because it wasn't exciting enough.

Yeah, I have it a feeling that it COULD go that way but I'm hoping it won't. I'm not too sure that he'd be able to hold Hatton off one-handed, and consequently he might have to fight.

For boxing, it's win-win either way. The welterweight division is packed with good fighters at the moment: Hatton, Mayweahter, Williams, Margarito (don't count him out), Mosely, De La Hoya wants a piece and Cintron is on the up and up. Plenty of killer fights waiting to be made.

jhale667

12-04-2007, 02:00 PM

Here's hoping it's a good fight...I'd like to see Floyd try to trade rather than peck and dance away all night.
I still don't think Floyd's ever fought anyone who could truly test him...and anyone who could, he's stayed the hell away from...
If he's not careful, Hatton will knock him into the next area code...:D

binnie

12-04-2007, 06:31 PM

I just hope it's not an anti-climax, although I'm pretty sure it won't be.

Will be watching it with my dad. By the time it's finished it'll be 4am UK time - good thing we're used to it after all these years of watching boxing!

DlocRoth

12-04-2007, 06:51 PM

Don't worry, Bin....

Just start drinking about 8 PM.

The time will fly. ;)

binnie

12-04-2007, 07:01 PM

Originally posted by DlocRoth
Don't worry, Bin....

Just start drinking about 8 PM.

The time will fly. ;)

Well, there's actually some decent British boxing on before (about 10PM our time) so it'll be ok. :D

I'm looking forward to Lacy-Manfredo on the undercard, largely because I think it'll be funny. I give Lacy 4-5 round to shake off the ring rust and then it's only a matter of time until Manfredo is horizontal. Unless Manfredo has found some amazing new set of skills or something, lol...

binnie

12-05-2007, 12:49 PM

Heavyweight "unification" signed - a step in the right direction I guess...

From fightnews.com

Klitschko-Ibragimov NYC Presser!
First heavyweight unificaton since the 90s

December 5, 2007

By Matt Richardson

Boxing is a funny business.

The last time there was a heavyweight unification bout, Emanuel Steward brought his talented but fragile heavyweight title-holder to Madison Square Garden in an attempt to unify the heavyweight division and add clarity to the sport's premiere division.

Flash forward 8 years and Steward is bringing a new talented but fragile heavyweight title-holder to the Garden in an attempt to once again unify the heavyweight division.

In 1999 Steward was in the corner of Lennox Lewis when he fought Evander Holyfield to an appalling draw in the main arena of the Garden.

In 2008, Steward will be in the corner of Wladimir Klitschko as Klitschko takes on his WBO counter-part Sultan Ibragimov in a fight that should help clarify the status quo in the division.

"This is a historic fight and a historic event," Klitschko, 49-3, 44 KO's said at the press conference to announce the fight on Tuesday morning at the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square. "The fight is officially on. This is such a great fight, such a great city in such a great arena."

The fight will be held in the main arena of the Garden on Feb. 23, 2008.

"Sport is the only one language...one religion," Klitschko said. "It's about performance and I'm looking forward to putting on a great performance in this unification."

"You will see a great unification fight," Ibragimov, 22-0-1, 17 KO's said during a brief speech at the podium. "You will see a great fight with real heavyweights."

"This is a fight that I'm excited about," Steward said. "Wladimir Klitschko and Sultan Ibragimov are starting to come together to form one super heavyweight."

"Wladimir's become so proficient. He's become a master at controlling the ring. I'm very happy with his progress," said Steward.

"(Unification) is an important of what HBO and these fighters are trying to do," said HBO's Kerry Davis, who called the HBO-televised card a "great night of heavyweights."

In addition to the fight's broadcast the network will also show a 90-minute porgram entitled "Joe Louis: American Hero Betrayed." The program will air before the Klitschko-Ibragimov fight on the East Coast and after it on the West.

Still, both fighters and much of the media were skeptical of labeling the Klitschko-Ibragimov bout a "unification" when there are still belts being held by Ruslan Chagaev (WBA) and Oleg Maskaev (WBC). "I'm a boxing fan and I'm looking as a fan of boxing for one heavyweight champion," Klitschko said honestly.

"I hope that later we can get another title and another one. This is not the undisputed championship, it's just a unification," he said.

Steward however, had the quickest and likely most accurate response. It didn't matter anyway, the hall of fame trainer said, because it will last "about six months then it'll be split up again."

JABZ

In support of one of the many charities he assists, Klitschko is offering fans a chance to sign their names to the robe he will wear upon entry and exit into the ring for the fight against Ibragimov. "I'm going to enter the ring with this robe and I'm going to exit the ring with this robe," Klitschko said as he wore the draping red and gold attire over his blue suit. Interested parties will have to cough up $199 a signature. Klitschko says he expects to have as many as 10,000 signatures on the garment. There is also allegedly a deal in place for the robe to be purchased post-fight for $150,000. All proceeds will go to charity.

In addition to a huge size advantage, IBF champ Klitschko is actually a year younger than Ibragimov at 31 years old.

Tickets go on sale today thru Ticketmaster. According to promoters approximately 75 percent of the tickets are $300 or less.